New South Australian anti-domestic violence operation makes 80 arrests in July
A shocking number of people have been arrested across South Australia over the past month in a domestic violence police sting.
SA News
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Domestic violence thugs have faced a major crackdown from police, with 80 arrests made over the past month.
SA Police has launched a new, statewide, anti-domestic abuse operation in July known as Operation Storm, which will focus on DV prevention and ensuring offenders are keeping to their release condition.
Police went to almost 400 addresses – almost 13 a day – in metropolitan and regional areas and targeted 265 known offenders to ensure bail conditions were being met and issuing intervention orders.
One result of the operation was a 48-year-old Ingle Farm man who was charged with strangulation, aggravated serious criminal trespass, threats to kill and numerous aggravated assaults. He has appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court and has been remanded in custody and is due to appear in court again on 15 October 2024.
Another was a 66-year-old man from Mawson Lakes who was allegedly stalking an ex-partner by maintaining video surveillance.
Police issued him a stalking caution.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Linda Williams said the long-term goal of Operation Storm was to proactively identify domestic abuse offenders who posed an ongoing threat to victims.
She said more than 400 police officers completed 46 bail compliance checks, charged people for 148 offences, and executed 21 warrants for the various domestic abuse offences.
Eight firearms prohibition order compliance searches were conducted, 148 charges with 22 intervention orders served, as well as a stalking caution.
Operation Storm also saw 85 referrals to Offenders Aid and Rehabilitation Services of South Australia (OARS), with future operations looking to expand the referral program.
“We’re hoping to have an impact in terms of prevention and stop things from escalating, and to improve the safety of women and children,” Ms Williams said.
“And it sends a strong message to people who have, for example, who are on bail or have an intervention order, – they will be policed, we will be following up and they will be held to account.”
According to Ms Williams the importance of enforcement cannot be underestimated as offenders are known to escalate their behaviour if unchecked.
“We know that evidence suggests that a lot of people who are the subject of an intervention order, they push those boundaries and test those boundaries as to how far they can go.
“And each time they are successful in getting away with that, they become more emboldened. “This is the dangerous time, when things escalate out of the intervention order into more serious consequences.
“That’s why we aim to protect and reduce.”
The operation also aims to provide DV victims access to support including being rehomed or financial aid.
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Originally published as New South Australian anti-domestic violence operation makes 80 arrests in July
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