However, crime trends change and it is useful to know which changes are likely to affect you. My job is analysing crime patterns and using this information to inform police decision-makers. It is, of course, also important to inform the community about crime trends and policing activity.
In Queenstown, policing focus areas are decided by Southern District command and currently aim at a 15% reduction for this fiscal year in five areas: wilful damage, vehicle crime, road policing, burglary and violence.
Vehicle crime and burglary rates are falling across New Zealand, a trend continued here in our town. Queenstown has traditionally had lower levels of these crimes.
Although both vehicle crime and burglary are reducing, there have been increases in the numbers of cars stolen and increases in commercial burglaries.
Violence, including disorder, in public places is over-represented in our community and is growing.
The greatest concentration, in time and space, is centred on the Queenstown central business district at night and is related to alcohol use and the number of licensed premises.
Violence here can occur any night of the week, whereas in the rest of the country it is more likely to occur during the weekend.
Family violence is increasing as our town's population grows, but the number of occurrences is still substantially lower proportionally in Queenstown than the rest of New Zealand.
Road policing commits staff to deliver a specified number of hours of the work and currently focuses on speeding, drink/drug-driving, seat-belt offences, dangerous and careless driving, and high-risk drivers.
Drink-driving in Queenstown is also overrepresented proportional to the population size and again is concentrated at the same time and location; around our town centre at night. Drink-driving enforcement is supplemented by Alexandra and Invercargill teams.
Contrary to popular opinion, criminals arrested here are not all tourists. Most are young New Zealanders. Offending in Queenstown mostly relates to the range of travellers we have staying in town.
Some trends can be observed. Some nationalities seem to be poorer drivers than others. Some nationalities tend to commit some offences more commonly than others.
Offenders are most likely to be male and young and certain occupations are frequently overrepresented.
Generally, however, it is the environment which has evolved in town at night, with a large number of bars and people drinking, and few other types of establishments, or other night-time users of town, which has created opportunities for offending, and increased risks for some people.
The use of the town and spaces at 3am is very different from the daytime use most Queenstown residents know.
Policing in Queenstown is very much focused on proactively patrolling the CBD and licensed premises at night.
I am constantly looking at Queenstown, analysing what is happening and thinking of the best way it can be policed, so we can all enjoy living here.
• By Sean Drader, Senior constable, Queenstown police.
