❓ The Minister for Police addresses crime reduction assistance for WA businesses, highlighting statistics, the Business Police Academy initiative, and Business Watch programs, urging businesses to contact the crime prevention office for assistance.
AnsweredQoN 327Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Will the minister provide information on assistance provided to Western Australian businesses to reduce the level of crime, such as burglary, armed robbery and shoplifting? Mr PRINCE
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for his question, and for a little notice of it. I tabled yesterday the statistics for recorded offences in this State in the last quarter. The number of armed robberies dropped in the September quarter by 6.3 per cent to 15 offences, when compared to the number in the same quarter last year. The clearance rate improved from 49 per cent to 56 per cent. They are going in the right direction. However, burglary in places other than a dwelling increased by 744 offences between those periods, and stealing of property, including shoplifting, increased by over 1 800 offences. Those two categories alone contributed to 86 per cent of the overall increase in reported offences. Stealing from places other than where people live, such as shops, particularly shoplifting, has contributed well over 80 per cent of the reported increase. That would seem to indicate that criminals are moving away from home burglaries, which is good, but are targeting unoccupied business premises and other places they perhaps perceive to be easier targets. That crime is being addressed in a number of ways, one of which is the business police academy; that is, a course devised two years ago by the police in Bunbury. Congratulations to Superintendent John Watson and his people, the member for Bunbury, who is a strong supporter, and the Bunbury Chamber of Commerce and Industry for creating this course. It provides eight hours of free prevention initiative training in security awareness; shoplifting and stealing as a servant; burglary; fraud; self-defence and powers of arrest; police investigations; crime scene preservation; armed robbery prevention; armed robbery reaction; and personal safety and hostage survival techniques. Anyone requiring further information can contact the crime prevention office on 9356 0555. This course is available around the State. To date, courses have been conducted not only in Bunbury, but also in Albany, Broome, Busselton, Derby, Fremantle, Karratha, Mandurah, Midland, and South Hedland, and one is under way in Margaret River this week. I understand that the business people of Stirling would like to become involved in the same course in their area. This initiative requires cooperation between something like a chamber of commerce or a business persons group and the police. It is free. It is eight hours of structured training and is very effective. The result is that businesses become better at preventing some form of crime being committed against them and in their premises, and also results in the provision of better information to the police to assist to apprehend offenders. That prevents crime. Other things are being done. The business owners in Welshpool and Kewdale have formed a business watch; namely, industrial areas are watched and the information is passed on to the police. I can talk about two initiatives - the business police academy and business watch - but there are many others. I urge business people with concerns in this area to contact the crime prevention office, and they will be assisted.
Mr PRINCE replied: I thank the member for his question, and for a little notice of it. I tabled yesterday the statistics for recorded offences in this State in the last quarter. The number of armed robberies dropped in the September quarter by 6.3 per cent to 15 offences, when compared to the number in the same quarter last year. The clearance rate improved from 49 per cent to 56 per cent. They are going in the right direction. However, burglary in places other than a dwelling increased by 744 offences between those periods, and stealing of property, including shoplifting, increased by over 1 800 offences. Those two categories alone contributed to 86 per cent of the overall increase in reported offences. Stealing from places other than where people live, such as shops, particularly shoplifting, has contributed well over 80 per cent of the reported increase. That would seem to indicate that criminals are moving away from home burglaries, which is good, but are targeting unoccupied business premises and other places they perhaps perceive to be easier targets. That crime is being addressed in a number of ways, one of which is the business police academy; that is, a course devised two years ago by the police in Bunbury. Congratulations to Superintendent John Watson and his people, the member for Bunbury, who is a strong supporter, and the Bunbury Chamber of Commerce and Industry for creating this course. It provides eight hours of free prevention initiative training in security awareness; shoplifting and stealing as a servant; burglary; fraud; self-defence and powers of arrest; police investigations; crime scene preservation; armed robbery prevention; armed robbery reaction; and personal safety and hostage survival techniques. Anyone requiring further information can contact the crime prevention office on 9356 0555. This course is available around the State. To date, courses have been conducted not only in Bunbury, but also in Albany, Broome, Busselton, Derby, Fremantle, Karratha, Mandurah, Midland, and South Hedland, and one is under way in Margaret River this week. I understand that the business people of Stirling would like to become involved in the same course in their area. This initiative requires cooperation between something like a chamber of commerce or a business persons group and the police. It is free. It is eight hours of structured training and is very effective. The result is that businesses become better at preventing some form of crime being committed against them and in their premises, and also results in the provision of better information to the police to assist to apprehend offenders. That prevents crime. Other things are being done. The business owners in Welshpool and Kewdale have formed a business watch; namely, industrial areas are watched and the information is passed on to the police. I can talk about two initiatives - the business police academy and business watch - but there are many others. I urge business people with concerns in this area to contact the crime prevention office, and they will be assisted.
I thank the member for his question, and for a little notice of it. I tabled yesterday the statistics for recorded offences in this State in the last quarter. The number of armed robberies dropped in the September quarter by 6.3 per cent to 15 offences, when compared to the number in the same quarter last year. The clearance rate improved from 49 per cent to 56 per cent. They are going in the right direction. However, burglary in places other than a dwelling increased by 744 offences between those periods, and stealing of property, including shoplifting, increased by over 1 800 offences. Those two categories alone contributed to 86 per cent of the overall increase in reported offences. Stealing from places other than where people live, such as shops, particularly shoplifting, has contributed well over 80 per cent of the reported increase. That would seem to indicate that criminals are moving away from home burglaries, which is good, but are targeting unoccupied business premises and other places they perhaps perceive to be easier targets. That crime is being addressed in a number of ways, one of which is the business police academy; that is, a course devised two years ago by the police in Bunbury. Congratulations to Superintendent John Watson and his people, the member for Bunbury, who is a strong supporter, and the Bunbury Chamber of Commerce and Industry for creating this course. It provides eight hours of free prevention initiative training in security awareness; shoplifting and stealing as a servant; burglary; fraud; self-defence and powers of arrest; police investigations; crime scene preservation; armed robbery prevention; armed robbery reaction; and personal safety and hostage survival techniques. Anyone requiring further information can contact the crime prevention office on 9356 0555. This course is available around the State. To date, courses have been conducted not only in Bunbury, but also in Albany, Broome, Busselton, Derby, Fremantle, Karratha, Mandurah, Midland, and South Hedland, and one is under way in Margaret River this week. I understand that the business people of Stirling would like to become involved in the same course in their area. This initiative requires cooperation between something like a chamber of commerce or a business persons group and the police. It is free. It is eight hours of structured training and is very effective. The result is that businesses become better at preventing some form of crime being committed against them and in their premises, and also results in the provision of better information to the police to assist to apprehend offenders. That prevents crime. Other things are being done. The business owners in Welshpool and Kewdale have formed a business watch; namely, industrial areas are watched and the information is passed on to the police. I can talk about two initiatives - the business police academy and business watch - but there are many others. I urge business people with concerns in this area to contact the crime prevention office, and they will be assisted.
That crime is being addressed in a number of ways, one of which is the business police academy; that is, a course devised two years ago by the police in Bunbury. Congratulations to Superintendent John Watson and his people, the member for Bunbury, who is a strong supporter, and the Bunbury Chamber of Commerce and Industry for creating this course. It provides eight hours of free prevention initiative training in security awareness; shoplifting and stealing as a servant; burglary; fraud; self-defence and powers of arrest; police investigations; crime scene preservation; armed robbery prevention; armed robbery reaction; and personal safety and hostage survival techniques. Anyone requiring further information can contact the crime prevention office on 9356 0555. This course is available around the State. To date, courses have been conducted not only in Bunbury, but also in Albany, Broome, Busselton, Derby, Fremantle, Karratha, Mandurah, Midland, and South Hedland, and one is under way in Margaret River this week. I understand that the business people of Stirling would like to become involved in the same course in their area. This initiative requires cooperation between something like a chamber of commerce or a business persons group and the police. It is free. It is eight hours of structured training and is very effective. The result is that businesses become better at preventing some form of crime being committed against them and in their premises, and also results in the provision of better information to the police to assist to apprehend offenders. That prevents crime. Other things are being done. The business owners in Welshpool and Kewdale have formed a business watch; namely, industrial areas are watched and the information is passed on to the police. I can talk about two initiatives - the business police academy and business watch - but there are many others. I urge business people with concerns in this area to contact the crime prevention office, and they will be assisted.
Other things are being done. The business owners in Welshpool and Kewdale have formed a business watch; namely, industrial areas are watched and the information is passed on to the police. I can talk about two initiatives - the business police academy and business watch - but there are many others. I urge business people with concerns in this area to contact the crime prevention office, and they will be assisted.
Mr PRINCE replied: I thank the member for his question, and for a little notice of it. I tabled yesterday the statistics for recorded offences in this State in the last quarter. The number of armed robberies dropped in the September quarter by 6.3 per cent to 15 offences, when compared to the number in the same quarter last year. The clearance rate improved from 49 per cent to 56 per cent. They are going in the right direction. However, burglary in places other than a dwelling increased by 744 offences between those periods, and stealing of property, including shoplifting, increased by over 1 800 offences. Those two categories alone contributed to 86 per cent of the overall increase in reported offences. Stealing from places other than where people live, such as shops, particularly shoplifting, has contributed well over 80 per cent of the reported increase. That would seem to indicate that criminals are moving away from home burglaries, which is good, but are targeting unoccupied business premises and other places they perhaps perceive to be easier targets. That crime is being addressed in a number of ways, one of which is the business police academy; that is, a course devised two years ago by the police in Bunbury. Congratulations to Superintendent John Watson and his people, the member for Bunbury, who is a strong supporter, and the Bunbury Chamber of Commerce and Industry for creating this course. It provides eight hours of free prevention initiative training in security awareness; shoplifting and stealing as a servant; burglary; fraud; self-defence and powers of arrest; police investigations; crime scene preservation; armed robbery prevention; armed robbery reaction; and personal safety and hostage survival techniques. Anyone requiring further information can contact the crime prevention office on 9356 0555. This course is available around the State. To date, courses have been conducted not only in Bunbury, but also in Albany, Broome, Busselton, Derby, Fremantle, Karratha, Mandurah, Midland, and South Hedland, and one is under way in Margaret River this week. I understand that the business people of Stirling would like to become involved in the same course in their area. This initiative requires cooperation between something like a chamber of commerce or a business persons group and the police. It is free. It is eight hours of structured training and is very effective. The result is that businesses become better at preventing some form of crime being committed against them and in their premises, and also results in the provision of better information to the police to assist to apprehend offenders. That prevents crime. Other things are being done. The business owners in Welshpool and Kewdale have formed a business watch; namely, industrial areas are watched and the information is passed on to the police. I can talk about two initiatives - the business police academy and business watch - but there are many others. I urge business people with concerns in this area to contact the crime prevention office, and they will be assisted.
I thank the member for his question, and for a little notice of it. I tabled yesterday the statistics for recorded offences in this State in the last quarter. The number of armed robberies dropped in the September quarter by 6.3 per cent to 15 offences, when compared to the number in the same quarter last year. The clearance rate improved from 49 per cent to 56 per cent. They are going in the right direction. However, burglary in places other than a dwelling increased by 744 offences between those periods, and stealing of property, including shoplifting, increased by over 1 800 offences. Those two categories alone contributed to 86 per cent of the overall increase in reported offences. Stealing from places other than where people live, such as shops, particularly shoplifting, has contributed well over 80 per cent of the reported increase. That would seem to indicate that criminals are moving away from home burglaries, which is good, but are targeting unoccupied business premises and other places they perhaps perceive to be easier targets. That crime is being addressed in a number of ways, one of which is the business police academy; that is, a course devised two years ago by the police in Bunbury. Congratulations to Superintendent John Watson and his people, the member for Bunbury, who is a strong supporter, and the Bunbury Chamber of Commerce and Industry for creating this course. It provides eight hours of free prevention initiative training in security awareness; shoplifting and stealing as a servant; burglary; fraud; self-defence and powers of arrest; police investigations; crime scene preservation; armed robbery prevention; armed robbery reaction; and personal safety and hostage survival techniques. Anyone requiring further information can contact the crime prevention office on 9356 0555. This course is available around the State. To date, courses have been conducted not only in Bunbury, but also in Albany, Broome, Busselton, Derby, Fremantle, Karratha, Mandurah, Midland, and South Hedland, and one is under way in Margaret River this week. I understand that the business people of Stirling would like to become involved in the same course in their area. This initiative requires cooperation between something like a chamber of commerce or a business persons group and the police. It is free. It is eight hours of structured training and is very effective. The result is that businesses become better at preventing some form of crime being committed against them and in their premises, and also results in the provision of better information to the police to assist to apprehend offenders. That prevents crime. Other things are being done. The business owners in Welshpool and Kewdale have formed a business watch; namely, industrial areas are watched and the information is passed on to the police. I can talk about two initiatives - the business police academy and business watch - but there are many others. I urge business people with concerns in this area to contact the crime prevention office, and they will be assisted.
That crime is being addressed in a number of ways, one of which is the business police academy; that is, a course devised two years ago by the police in Bunbury. Congratulations to Superintendent John Watson and his people, the member for Bunbury, who is a strong supporter, and the Bunbury Chamber of Commerce and Industry for creating this course. It provides eight hours of free prevention initiative training in security awareness; shoplifting and stealing as a servant; burglary; fraud; self-defence and powers of arrest; police investigations; crime scene preservation; armed robbery prevention; armed robbery reaction; and personal safety and hostage survival techniques. Anyone requiring further information can contact the crime prevention office on 9356 0555. This course is available around the State. To date, courses have been conducted not only in Bunbury, but also in Albany, Broome, Busselton, Derby, Fremantle, Karratha, Mandurah, Midland, and South Hedland, and one is under way in Margaret River this week. I understand that the business people of Stirling would like to become involved in the same course in their area. This initiative requires cooperation between something like a chamber of commerce or a business persons group and the police. It is free. It is eight hours of structured training and is very effective. The result is that businesses become better at preventing some form of crime being committed against them and in their premises, and also results in the provision of better information to the police to assist to apprehend offenders. That prevents crime. Other things are being done. The business owners in Welshpool and Kewdale have formed a business watch; namely, industrial areas are watched and the information is passed on to the police. I can talk about two initiatives - the business police academy and business watch - but there are many others. I urge business people with concerns in this area to contact the crime prevention office, and they will be assisted.
Other things are being done. The business owners in Welshpool and Kewdale have formed a business watch; namely, industrial areas are watched and the information is passed on to the police. I can talk about two initiatives - the business police academy and business watch - but there are many others. I urge business people with concerns in this area to contact the crime prevention office, and they will be assisted.
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