NSW: Police plan new blitz after 824 arrests last weekend

AAP General News (Australia)
02-19-2008
NSW: Police plan new blitz after 824 arrests last weekend

By Ed Logue

SYDNEY, Feb 19 AAP - Police will move into another stage of a crackdown on anti-social
behaviour after more than 800 arrests in a weekend blitz across the state, the NSW government
says.

Police Minister David Campbell and NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione today revealed
the outcome of Operation Mega Vikings, in which 3,500 extra police patrols targeted wanted
criminals, street crime and anti-social actions.

The operation was divided in two phases, Mr Campbell said, targeting known offenders
during the day and anti-social activities at night.

He said 824 arrests were made during the three-day blitz, with police enforcing outstanding
warrants, locking up criminals, policing licensed premises and manning extra random breath
testing units.

About 2,000 people were searched, leading to the seizure of 30 weapons, he said.

Mr Scipione said the blitz succeeded in catching repeat offenders, who were responsible
for much of the state's crime.

"Many of those people that were identified had warrants outstanding or had breached
bail," he said.

"We know 80 per cent of our crime is committed by 20 per cent of our people."

The extra 800 police for the crackdown had been found by offering shifts to officers
with days off, Mr Scipione said.

"We extend the availability by putting them on overtime and cancel the rest days," he said.

Operation Vikings would roll into Vision 3, targeting rail crime using police and rail
security in a three month operation.

"We will be moving from Mega Vikings which was running for the last three days to Vision
3, which is around 200 police working our transport system," Mr Scipione said.

Mr Campbell said it would entail a concentrated effort of law enforcement between NSW
police and state rail officers.

While transit officers were not railway police, they were "there to provide some revenue
enforcement and they are also there as security guards", he said.

"They can disrupt, they don't have the right of arrests."

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KEYWORD: SOCIAL

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