Police watch trouble spots

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33941, 6 September 1975, Page 16

Police watch trouble spots

With an expected increase in antisocial behaviour during the summer months in Christchurch, the police would put greater emphasis 6n beat patrols where there were large concentrations of people, the commander of the Christchurch police district (Chief Superintendent G. E. Twentyman) told a press conference yesterday.

There were 120 arrests for antisocial behaviour in August compared with 104 in July, he said. Much of this could be attributed to more beat patrolling. Offenders who were not seen before were being apprehended. Using obscene language, urinating in a public place, and vandalism were among the offences termed antisocial behaviour. Mr Twentyman said that more and more demands would be made on the services of the police to give protection against this where there were great concentrations of people. Residential areas would also need motorised patrols. Many offences were on pri. vate property, which the police could not patrol, and so they had to maintain a balance to provide a quick service when called, he said. BURGLARS CAUGHT ! During the last five months, 402 burglars had been apprehended in Christchurch. The number of house and commercial burglaries in August (292) was down on last month (356). Mr Twentyman said he hoped the reason was that the police were “taking all the burglars out of circulation.” Although the burglary rate was down on last month, and at almost the same rate as last year, it was still causing concern, Mr Twentyman said. “We will never be happy with the number of burglaries, although it would be asking the impossible to have none at all.”

The police statistics for Christchurch showed that in July the value of burgled property was $100,754 com-

I pared with $63,887 in August, a decrease of 37 per cent. NARCOTICS Nine suppliers of narcotics were arrested during one week of last month. Mr Twentyman said. Most of the drug arrests during August were for trafficking rather than use. There was big money in trafficking, and given the right climate most criminals would "have a go at it,” he said. Over the last few years, the trend to drug abuse was getting worse especially hard drugs, which were causing great concern. In August, the police made 19 arrests connected with drug offences, compared with 31 in July. In general there were fewer offences committed dur. ing August than in July although arrests increased. There was an average of 12.4 arrests a day (386 for the month) in August and 12 a day (371) in July.