By Jeremy Sollars
STATISTICS released by the Queensland Police Service on Friday show the overall crime rate across the Darling Downs District from 2014-’15 to 2015-’16 increased by nine per cent to 24,373 offences.
A police spokesman said a significant part of this increase included a rise in drug detection and traffic-related offences, with drug offences increasing at a rate of 16.9 per cent and traffic-related offences increasing 40.3 percent.
He said over the 10-year period from 2006-’07 to 2015-’16, Darling Downs District recorded a decrease in the rate of offences against the person and offences against property.
“When adjusted for population growth, the overall crime rate of offences against the person over the past 10 years decreased by 8.6 per cent and offences against property decreased by 21 per cent,” the spokesman said.
The Darling Downs District includes crime statistics for Toowoomba along with Warwick and Stanthorpe.
The Free Times has asked the QPS if it can provide statistics specific to the Warwick and Stanthorpe police districts.
