A dramatic increase in Junee's instances of violent crimes has been reported in the latest Bureau of Crimes Statistics and Research released.
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In the past 24 months, violent crimes in Junee have risen by 72 per cent, according to the quarterly snapshot.
But Riverina Police District superintendent Bob Noble said the percentage alone could be misleading.
"Look I would say, yeah, 72 per cent in the rate of violent crime in Junee is of concern," Superintendent Noble said.
"The thing to remember about the Junee local government area is it's a relatively small sample size, so a relatively small increase in any crime volume, as far as the ratio goes, is going to increase that per capita crime quite significantly," he said.
By comparison, Wagga's instances of violent crimes rose by only 6.9 per cent, indicating the difference across the larger population centre.
In the 12 months to June this year, the town recorded one murder, 33 domestic violence instances, 30 non-domestic violence occurrences and three sexual assaults.
Additionally, there were up to 20 break and enters of dwellings, 11 thefts from dwellings and 58 instances of malicious damage to property.
Instances including the attack that killed Ervin Gustowski outside the Ex-Services Club in December of last year have contributed to the percentage increase.
"We look at what's been happening in Junee in that LGA in the last 12 months, we saw what's been labelled as a one-punch death outside a licensed establishment late last year," said superintendent Noble.
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But, superintendent Noble also said many of the reported assaults in the town happen outside the purview of the express community.
"Yes, we do have a prison there where a significant number of assaults are reported to police," Superintendent Noble said.
"To a certain extent it seems to the community to be a latent type of crime because it's not something that's in the public consciousness, but they do get reported to the police."
Superintendent Noble also pointed to the increased messaging surrounding the empowerment of victims to seek police support following an assault, as a potential reason for the increase in noted reports of violence.
"We've been fairly on the front foot with getting people to report domestic violence, and of course that's a reported assault as well," he said.
Through ongoing monitoring of households at risk of domestic violence, superintendent Noble is confident in time the rate of the offense will be curbed.
"We go to their home, we go to their work where appropriate, we also do speak to victims and others in the home that might become victims, so that's certainly one strategy," he said.
Another main focus for the local enforcement team has been in creating visibility around the town's violent hot spots.
"We work with liquor accords and individual liquor licensees around harm minimisation in pubs and clubs and at licensed events to drive down alcohol-related crime and to that end we do walk-throughs and compliance visits in pubs and hotels and licenced clubs as well," Superintendent Noble said.
"It's certainly a fact that alcohol is a predominate factor in a great many assaults that are reported to the police."
Since the beginning of the year, the Junee Police Station has been plagued by staffing issues, with up to three officers currently on extended sick leave.
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Despite the falling numbers, superintendent Noble praised the efforts of those who have stepped in to maintain the visibility of police in the town.
"The police at Junee are doing a very good job, we do know that they are experiencing staff shortages but we are supplementing those staff at the present time with two staff from Wagga general duties who are working up there every shift," he said.
"We are also seeing police from other units in the Riverina going to Junee to fill the void, and to that end, we have staff there today from the region enforcement squad and the Wagga target action group."
Even with the preventative measures, superintendent Noble said it would be reasonable to assume crime rates would rise and fall from year to year.
"We're doing what we can, I believe it is working," he said.
"They will experience at times increases in certain crime types. We'll respond to that and we'll work with the community to run that down."
Furthermore, superintendent Noble expressed confidence the increase to violent crimes has no correlation to the sick leave of the town's permanent officers.
"Our data around pro-activity in around licenced premises, pubs, clubs, licensed events like race days and our level of activity around domestic violence compliance has not dropped," he said.
"Whilst there are staff not being present for duty in Junee, they have been supplemented at the present time by staff in Wagga."
To further allay the concerns of the community, superintendent Noble expressed his personal assurance that the town remains at the heart of his professional practice.
"I've made it a commitment to the police that are stationed in Junee and who do remain in the workplace that are doing a great job that I would support them," he said.
"Junee's a community not unlike the one I grew up in and I take the safety of those communities to heart.
"As a young person growing up in a community like that, I and friends and family members of mine experienced violence, sometimes serious violence. So I take my role in preventing that to heart."