Northern Beaches Council is asking residents to fill in a community safety survey
The council is urging residents to let it know if they don’t feel safe living on the northern beaches and asking for suggestions to make the community safer.
Manly
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Do you feel safe living on the northern beaches?
If not, the council wants to know why — and how it can be improved.
Mayor Michael Regan is asking residents to fill in a community safety survey to help the council come up with strategies to make the area even safer.
Northern Beaches Police are also urging people to complete the questionnaire.
The online survey, which closes on November 3, will help council draw up its community safety plan that is set to be put released in May next year.
The push for community feedback comes as latest official statistics show that the incidence of crime is relatively stable in the northern beaches local government area.
But the latest statistics from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) show that there has been a spike in domestic violence-related assaults and malicious damage, which includes graffiti.
In the 12 months to June this year, 478 domestic and family violence assaults were recorded on the northern beaches.
During the same time period 643 non-domestic assaults occurred along with 123 sexual assaults and a combined 165 instances of indecent assaults and acts of indecency.
Police also had to deal with 130 offensive conduct cases as well as 241 liquor offences and 47 cases of assaults on police.
There were also 393 burglaries on the northern beaches in the 12 months to June this year and 246 trespassing offences recorded.
The survey also comes as police are cracking down on hot spots for underage drinking, drug use and anti-social behaviour by teenagers, especially in areas around Warriewood, Newport and Mona Vale.
Cr Regan said community safety was a complex issue requiring a whole of community approach.
“Our experience has been that while people may worry about the most serious of crimes, it is actually the lower level neighbourhood issues such as noise, anti-social behaviour and rubbish that present as the most pressing issues,” he said.
“Council is developing a five-year Community Safety Plan in consultation with a wide range of stakeholders. The plan will identify strategies to be implemented across the Northern Beaches to further improve safety.
“We’re committed to providing a safe environment for our community with the development of the Northern Beaches Community Safety Plan.”
On its Facebook page Northern Beaches police urged “everyone to complete the Northern Beaches Council’s Community Safety Survey.
“It will take just five minutes or so but the results will have an impact for years to come.”