Figures released by the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) last week confirm Detective Inspector Gillies’ claim.

“All of our areas are either stable or have dropped, which is consistent overall with the state results, which is a good thing… it reaffirms that Goulburn is a comparatively safe place to live work and visit,” Det. Insp. Gillies said.

“One of the significant issues we had late last year and early this year was volume crime, especially steal from motor vehicles. That’s actually decreased consistently over the last five months in our LAC. Serious crime is also steady or reduced across the board and I include serious assaults, sexual assault and robbery in those categories.”

In the year to September 2014, all areas of major crime and volume crime have either decreased or remained relatively stable.

Namely, categories including break and enter, theft and malicious damage have decreased.

Malicious damage to property led the charges with 281 reported incidents in the year to September, some 71 less than the 352 reported in the year prior.

There was a difference of 39 in reports of fraud (129 in the year to September 2013 and 90 in 2014) and 46 in steal from motor vehicle (at 78 total thus far).

Det. Insp. Gillies attributed the falling figures to proactive policing across the region.

“One of the benefits of working in a regional area is that our police have a very good handle on who our crooks are and that enables us to follow up crime very promptly with some direct leads and for the crimes that we don’t have a direct lead on we invest a fair amount of time and resources into following that up as quickly as we can in an effort to identify the offenders.”

The latest figures are in line with the rest of NSW, where break and enter dwelling has fallen by 8.7 per cent, steal from motor vehicle by 7.5pc and malicious damage to property by 12.4pc. The Central West being the only exception.

NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione welcomed the figures.

“The community has always been our greatest ally in driving down crime.

When I see figures like these, it makes me very proud of the work our officers do but equally it makes me thankful for the very positive relationship between the community and those officers,” he said.

A full report can be found on the BOCSAR website, www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au.

THE silly season is upon us but muck-up and you’ll pay the price, Police warn.

Alcohol crime, anti-social behaviour and drug use will be in their sights.

“Coming into the summer months our police will be again targeting alcohol and anti-social behaviour,” Det. Insp. Gillies said.

“In recent months we’ve had an increased focus on traffic enforcement in regards to drug testing, which has yielded significant results. It is also a concern the high number of positive drug hits compared to the tests we’ve done.

“It indicates there is still a problem in this area with regards to drug use which is recently been highlighted through our Strike Force Coull investigations but also the concern that some people are still not getting the message about driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol and that will be a continued focus for our highway patrol and police.”

Police will also maintain a focus on licensed premises and alcohol crime.

Det Insp Gillies urged those having home-parties over the season to make use of the Police party notification system.

“For people having home parties over the festive season, utilise the safe party notification, let police know where the parties are so police can incorporate those into their taskings and assist earlier in the night before parties get out of hand.”