The campaign, Community Crime Watch, will include a series of reports on crime and its impacts on individuals, our community and region and will explore how the public can work with police to curb crime and make our community safer.

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NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) figures show alarming rises in some crime categories in Wellington.

According to BOCSAR, for the 24 months to September 2012, non-domestic violence-related assaults in Wellington were down by 37.1 per cent on the previous period.

Steal from motor vehicle offences were also down by 1.6 per cent while steal from dwelling was up by 22.9 per cent in the same period.

When compared with the NSW average, some crimes were being reported in Wellington at a rate two and three times the NSW average.

This was the case with break and enter to dwellings, which were reported in Wellinton at 3.1 times the state average for the 12 month period to September 2012.

Other crime categories that Wellington experienced at several times the NSW rate included domestic violence-related assault (2.6), sexual assault (2.6), steal from dwelling (2.3) and malicious damage to property (2.9).

The figures do not paint a good picture for Wellington, but senior sergeant Simon Magdwick said the numbers have shown a stark decrease since then through good old fashioned police work and community support. 

“There was quite a spike at one stage and we are well aware of that,” he said. 

Together with various Orana taskforces we have  locked up some key offenders in recent times and the court has followed our combined work in ensuring the penalties are tougher but this doesn’t mean we have to work harder to improve the situation.

“I came here in  late in 2011 and together with our local officers we are here for the long haul and I think you will soon see a dramatic fall.”

The senior sergeant said some statistics could be misleading, such as the 22.9 per cent rise in reported incidents of steal from a dwelling.

“These included things like phones and other small goods which were reported to us and which we followed up. These figures indicate people who came to people’s houses and then stole something from them,” he said.    

“Interestingly we have had a number of domestic violence incidents recently - an area we are working proactively on together with the courts.

“The justice mediation area is helping here to provide a place where people can work through their difficulties.”

The senior sergeant believes the community has worked better with the police in recent times assisting and reporting to them.

“I believe the community as a whole wants to work with us and they are providing more details of those who are offending. Wellington is on track to record better figures because of the work by community members but we cannot be complacent. 

“The public reporting offences to us will help and some are doing this.

“I think it would be a folly to believe we can eradicate crime altogether but the picture for Wellington is the best for some time currently and the Orana Crime Command who have been very supportive in backing us believe the results recently are promising,” senior sergeant Madgwick said.

Orana crime manager, detective inspector Rod Blackman credits much of the improvement with the pro-active work of the Wellington senior sergeant and his officers who’s strike rate on arrests is said to be among the best in the state. 

“But what I can say now is that there have been some real inroads,” detective inspector Blackman said.

“We have a highly-motivated senior sergeant in Simon Madgwick, in addition to a highly-motivated community.

“In my view there has been a real improvement across the board in Wellington.”