Senior NSW police addressed media yesterday following the conclusion of a four-day high-impact operation targeting the state’s most dangerous domestic violence offenders.
Operation Amarok III, an intelligence-based policing strategy led by each region’s Domestic Violence High-Risk Offender Teams (DVHROT), ran from Wednesday (12 July) to Saturday 15 July, and involved officers from all police area commands and police districts in NSW, as well as various proactive and specialist units.
Over the four days, police engaged with high-risk domestic violence offenders on 1,169 occasions, made 315 applications for Apprehended Domestic Violence Orders (ADVOs), served 500 outstanding ADVOs, completed 4882 ADVO compliance checks and 1465 bail compliance checks.
Five-hundred and ninety-two arrests
During the operation, 592 people were arrested, and in addition to domestic violence-related offences, various other serious offences were detected, including prohibited firearm and weapon possession, drug possession and supply, with a total of 1107 charges laid.
Of those arrested, 139 were identified amongst NSW’s most dangerous domestic violence offenders and 103 had outstanding warrants for violent offences.
Officers also conducted 116 Firearms Prohibition Orders (FPOs) searches at properties linked to those who are subject to FPOs.
In total, police seized 22 firearms and 40 prohibited weapons, as well as various types of illicit drugs located with 89 detections.
More than 139,000 calls for police assistance
The Minister for Police and Counter Terrorism, Yasmin Catley, said with more than 139,000 calls for police assistance and over 33,000 actual domestic-related assaults every year, the issue of domestic and family violence cannot be understated. ‘These figures show this is an epidemic. We know domestic and family violence is one of the most underreported crime types.
‘The police have my full support on this. I back the government agencies working together to stamp out this type of behaviour. Operation Amarok sends a strong message to offenders that they’re in the sights of police.
‘You’ve been warned. Your predatory behaviour will be policed to your door.
Half the state’s murders are domestic violence-related
NSW Police Corporate Sponsor for Domestic and Family Violence, Deputy Commissioner Mal Lanyon, said with more than half the state’s murders being domestic violence-related, Operation Amarok is a key strategy in preventing serious harm to victims.
‘In order to ensure the safety of actual and potential victims of domestic and family violence, Operation Amarok is a deliberate strategy targeting the most dangerous offenders.
‘While any form of domestic and family violence is unacceptable, those offenders who pose the greatest threat to victims, those who continue to offend, and those who commit serious criminal offences are firmly in our sights.
‘This type of offending is violent, confronting, and targeted.
‘Amarok elevates our focus on those offenders who often display the dangerousness and violence of organised crime figures and the fixation of terrorists to ensure that we stop their offending behaviour and protect victims.’
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