Crime across the state has declined year-on-year for the third consecutive month, latest police statistics reveal – with tough new laws, more electronic monitoring and expanded recruitment campaigns continuing to have an impact.
It comes as the next group of international officers to join SAPOL's ranks are sworn in at the Police Academy today, boosting frontline numbers.
The November rolling year period shows over 1,600 fewer offences reported against the person and against property (122,460 offences) compared to the previous rolling year (124,099 offences), representing a one per cent decrease in crime overall.
Total offences also fell in the October and September rolling year periods.
In addition, ABS data shows South Australia has the lowest youth offender rate of any state.
Latest SAPOL crime figures recorded significant declines in robbery (26 per cent decrease), theft from a motor vehicle (17 per cent), illegal use (7 per cent), sexual assault (4 per cent) and residential serious criminal trespass (3 per cent).
Police assaults were down 6 per cent on the year prior, with the Government committed to protecting officers who work every day to keep South Australians safe.
Shop theft decreased two per cent – by over 300 offences – coinciding with a larger police presence and crackdown through Operation Measure targeting retail crime.
The Government will introduce better protections for retail workers this year through barring orders which would give businesses and police more power to ban violent individuals. Increased penalties for those who assault retail workers are already in effect under changes brought in by the Malinauskas Government in 2022.
Hundreds more electronic monitoring devices have also been rolled out under an $8.1 million investment to support strong new bail laws and community safety.
Increased use of electronic monitoring of young people – a 73 per cent increase since 2020-21 – has enabled breaches to be detected more effectively, with significant reductions in the numbers of bail breaches by some young offenders.
It follows SAPOL's international recruitment campaign to hire up to 200 officers delivering strong results – with nearly 50 officers now calling South Australia home.
Today 34 officers, mostly from the UK, will start a fast-tracked program recognising their prior skills to get them on the South Australian frontline as soon as possible. An additional 15 recruits, from the first overseas group, started training in November.
Both groups have a combined experience of 351 years, equating to an average of seven years of prior police experience per recruit.
The campaign has attracted more than 500 applications, targeting the UK, Ireland, New Zealand and Canada.
Nearly 90 offers to join SAPOL have been accepted so far and around 100 more officers are under active assessment.
The next course is due to start in March, with 18 recruits currently confirmed.
The new officers are part of the Government's $12.2 million investment to expand the state's police recruitment pipeline.
The investment has also doubled the number of cadet courses per year and seen 262 police recruits graduate last financial year – the highest number of graduates in recent years and double the 2019-20 period.
Other measures include $36.7 million in the last State Budget to free up more than 100 police officers and staff for operational duties, as well as $81.8 million to recruit 189 extra Police Security Officers and allow sworn police to return to the frontline.
As put by Dan Cregan
For the third consecutive month, the efforts of officers are driving down offending as crime continues to decline.
South Australia has the lowest youth offender rate of any state and we won't tolerate groups of young people committing violent acts that put the community at risk.
We have passed the toughest penalties in the nation for criminal ringleaders who seek to recruit children, up to 15 years in jail.
Strong action is also being taken to break the cycle of youth offending, upgrading Kurlana Tapa Youth Training Centre and boosting support and early intervention programs.
We have more frontline officers per capita than any other state and are finding more ways to attract new recruits and retain police throughout their careers.
Our recruitment pipeline is expanding, at home and abroad, to bolster frontline policing and keep our growing community safe.
