The deployment of more than 160 additional Police and new crime-fighting strategies in Counties-Manukau are contributing to a significant drop in crime within the district, Police Minister Judith Collins said today.

Provisional statistics show that crime in the district dropped by around 9 per cent in the last quarter of 2009. This is against a trend of rising crime in the district.

Over the past five years Counties-Manukau recorded a 16.7% increase in total crime against a national increase of 0.7%.

The Government has committed 300 additional frontline staff to Counties-Manukau by the end of this year. So far more than 160 of those officers have been trained and deployed.

An additional 300 extra frontline officers will be deployed around the rest of the country by the end of 2011.

"A highly visible, highly trained and highly motivated Police service will always be the most effective deterrent to crime. We are seeing just how true that is in Counties-Manukau," Ms Collins said.

"Increasing the numbers of frontline Police in Counties-Manukau has not only put more officers into neighbourhoods, but it has enabled Police to try new strategies to reduce crime.

"A number of new initiatives, such as Public Safety Teams and Major Crime Teams, were launched late last year and I'm advised that the impact on crime was immediate.

"While it's still too early to draw any firm conclusions, early reports suggest that total crime in the district has dropped significantly - by around 9 per cent each month since October.

"These are outstanding results and show what can be achieved when Police have the mandate and the resources to respond decisively to crime and work with communities to prevent crime happening."