The increasing rate of youth crime is the top concern for people across Tasmania, new findings from a police survey indicate.
The inaugural Tasmania Police Community Survey, conducted from November to December last year, was released on Thursday and revealed that youth crime, theft from homes and public order and safety were the top three safety concerns for residents.
Other community safety concerns included issues related to drugs and alcohol, vehicle theft, road safety and family violence offences.
Tasmania Police Commissioner Donna Adams said they were listening to the feedback and acknowledged there was work to be done.
“We recognise the importance of trust and confidence in Tasmania Police. We cannot do our job without the support of our community,” she said.
“It’s been gratifying and challenging, to hear directly from our community on what they feel is important and how we are performing our roles.”
She said top suggestions from the community for improving safety were having a greater police presence or visibility, more police patrols and addressing youth crime issues more effectively.
“Over the coming months we will be addressing these community safety concerns with targeted safety initiatives … We are committed to being transparent and accountable for our actions,” Adams said.
The survey found that the majority of respondents felt safest in their own homes, followed by outside in the community during the day, however feelings of safety in the community at night and on public transport were very low.
41% of people expressed confidence in Tasmania Police’s ability to deliver services, while 30% lacked confidence.
Respondents also reported feeling that crime in their community had increased over the past 12 months.
The release of the survey comes just days after two 12-year-olds were charged over the alleged burglary of a family-run supermarket in Glenorchy and follows the arrest of a 17-year-old boy accused of pushing an international student into the water at the Hobart Waterfront, leading to his drowning.
