Although the resolution rate for reported crimes rose fractionally, from 50.8 per cent to 51.1 per cent over the year, it was one of the lowest rates recorded in the district, second only to Palmerston North City's resolution rate of 46.1 per cent.
A breakdown of the offences showed the types of crime to see the biggest decreases in Wanganui were illicit drug offences, down 17.3 per cent, property damage and environmental pollution, down 16.1 per cent, robbery, extortion and related offences, down 14.3 per cent, theft, down 12.2 per cent, and acts intended to cause injury, down 11.7 per cent.
On the increase were miscellaneous offences, up 50 per cent, dangerous or negligent acts endangering persons, up 11.1 per cent, and offences against justice procedures up 6.3 per cent.
Homicide rates remained the same with three recorded in both 2010 and 2011.
Whanganui Police Area Commander Inspector Sue Schwalger said the overall result was "fantastic" and showed police were committed to driving down crime by preventing it, and the likewise it showed the commitment of staff, who worked tirelessly for the community.
She was particularly pleased with the reduction in acts intended to cause injury and public order offences.
Fewer acts causing injury meant there were less people getting injured, and reduced the cost of crime in terms of medical care, she said.
Public order offences, which fell 7.3 per cent, were the types of crimes people could see and were often used as an indicator for people to assess how safe they felt.
The more they could reduce those types of offences, the safer the community would feel, she said.
Police had increased their presence in the community and were working with other uniformed officers, like community patrols and Maori wardens to assist in increasing their visibility, which may have helped drive down crimes such as theft and public disorder.
They had received some good feedback from the community about their increased presence, to the point where a Waverley woman drove all the way into the station just to pass on in person how much she liked to see officers out on the beat, she said.
Drugs offences, which not only saw the biggest decrease, but had one of the highest resolution rates at 97. 5 per cent, were a bit different from other types of offences in that they were often the result of police investigations rather than people reporting them, she said.
However, they had been actively supporting the crime information line Crimestoppers, which allowed callers to share information totally anonymously, which may have helped to get more people reporting information, particularly in regard to drugs.
Ms Schwalger said the increase in burglaries, with it's low resolution rate of 18.6 per cent, was not what they wanted to see.
However, they would be continuing with their crime prevention strategy, with officers helping people with their home security and giving crime prevention advice, and later following up with victims.
The full statistical report can be viewed via the New Zealand Police website.
Wanganui crime
413 fewer reported cases
51.1 per cent resolution rate
17.3 per cent fall in drug offences
16.1 per cent drop in property damage and environmental pollution
14.3 per cent decrease in robbery, extortion and related offences
12.2 per cent drop in theft
11.7 per cent fall in acts intended to cause injury
11.1 per cent rise in dangerous or negligent acts endangering persons
