Chch drug offences show big increase

Press, 4 March 1980, Page 7

Chch drug offences show big increase

Drug offending and related crimes increased sharply in Christchurch last year. A total of 528 drug offences were recorded in 1978, but in 1979 this figure rose to 702, an increase of more than 30 per cent. The 1979 figure included 585 cannabis offences, 151 more than in the previous year. Burglaries specifically tor the purpose of obtaining

drugs, usually from chem- c ists, increased 68 per cent I last year. Eighty-four such , offences were recorded in J 1978; in 1979 this increased i to 141. j The trend towards increased drug offending is re- ( fleeted in statistics issued by : the Christchurch police yes- i terday. The figures also ’ show a lesser but significant ’ rise in the number of violent ’ offences and burglaries. ; Violent offences rose by 22ff to 1622 last year. Assaults on policemen rose 23 to 129 in the same period,' while the number of serious assaults on the constabulary jumped from nine to 17. i Disorderly offences rose markedly over the year. The police dealt with 2432 cases I last year, an increase of 813. | At the same time, more people are resisting policemen. Obstruction cases rose by 42 to 211. Burglaries have continued to increase in Christchurch. A total of 6332 were reported, 13 per. cent 'up on the I previous year. I “Surprisingly, robberies, I thefts, and car conversions I have decreased. Cycle thefts I have remained virtually statI ic. I Detectives made 10 homi-

cide inquiries last year, compared with nine in 1978. Offences of dishonesty similarly-showed a slight increase in 1979, but thefts were down (by 305 to 2828), and fraud offending differed little from 1978. Drunken drivers were dealt with very severely in 1979; 247 were apprehended, compared with 142 the previous year. Altogether, the Christchurch police dealt with 37,119 offences last year, an increase of 1C37. The head of the Christchurch police (Assistant Deputy Commissioner G. E. Twentyman) said that , the increased incidences of drug offending and violence were matters of concern. “But over all, things are not getting out of hand,” he said. : Mr Twentyman said that , the figures were part of a : continuing upward trend, but it was surprising how many ; crimes were solved. He said that the police I could always do with more . men, but this was not the • entire answer. “We must > look at how we do things all the time.” , “We have received cos operation from the people of > Christchurch, and this has - helped tremendously in dealing with crime,” Mr Twenty- - man said.