600 charged by NSW Police in domestic violence blitz

More than 600 people have been charged as part of a new high-profile NSW Police operation targeting the state’s most dangerous domestic violence offenders.

Operation Amarok One, an intelligence-based policing strategy, ran from Tuesday to Friday last week and involved officers from all police area commands and police districts in NSW, as well as each region’s Domestic Violence High Risk Offender Teams (DVHROT) and other specialist units.

During the operation, 648 people were arrested, including 164 of NSW’s most wanted domestic violence offenders, NSW Police said in a statement.

In addition to domestic violence-related offences, police detected several other serious offences, including prohibited firearms and weapons possession, drug possession and supply, with a total of 1,153 charges laid.

Domestic and family violence corporate sponsor Deputy Commissioner Mal Lanyon said domestic and family-related violence is the most challenging community issue of our generation.

“The NSW Police Force invests significant resources in responding to family and domestic violence; attending around 139,000 calls for help in 2022 – with more than 33,100 of those being actual assaults and 17 domestic murders,” Deputy Commissioner Mal Lanyon said.

“We continue to combat the perception that domestic violence is a ‘family matter’ and should therefore be treated as ‘private business’. This is certainly not the case. This is a community issue, and we all have a role to play in stopping the senseless loss of life to this crime.

Over the four days, police engaged with 1,998 high-risk domestic violence offenders, served 655 outstanding Domestic Violence Apprehended Orders (ADVOs), completed 3,890 ADVO compliance checks and 1,324 bail compliance checks and executed 119 Firearms Prohibition Orders (FPOs).

Furthermore, the police seized 19 firearms and 49 prohibited weapons, as well as various types of illegal drugs found during 116 interactions.

In one incident, officers from the Murray River Police District attended a home after attempting to conduct an ADVO compliance test on an 83-year-old woman.

Upon arrival, police spoke to the woman and her 51-year-old relative before taking him into custody. He was subsequently charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm (DV), stalking/intimidating intent fear physical etc harm (domestic) and breach of prohibition/restriction in AVO (domestic). He was formally refused bail to appear in the Albury Local Court next March 15.

In a separate incident, officers from Kuring Gai Police Area Command launched inquiries after a woman reported receiving threats from a man known to her. She told police she also found a tracker on her vehicle.

After extensive enquiries, a 51-year-old man was arrested at a home in Londonderry last Wednesday. He was charged with installing/using tracking device to find person without consent and stalking/intimidating with intent fear physical etc harm (domestic). The police also seized registered firearms from the man’s home and his firearms license is being investigated.

“Last year we established a Domestic and Family Violence Reform Project to change the way police respond to and prevent domestic violence, with a focus on prioritizing the health and well-being of victims by targeting those who perpetuate violence,” said Deputy Commissioner Lanyon. .

“Research tells us that without appropriate police targeting, a person charged with strangulation or suffocation is likely to progress to murder; this is the key focus of Operation Amarok.

“When combined with our suite of strategies, including those being developed through the reform project, Operation Amarok will significantly reduce the risk of harm to current and potential future victims.”

Assistant Commissioner Stuart Smith, corporate owner for domestic and family violence, said domestic and family violence is a complex crime type and one like no other.

“Operation Amarok will remain a statewide offender-centric operation designed to focus on offenders where their intent, capability and access to victims is assessed at an elevated level of threat,” Assistant Commissioner Smith said.

“Police officers spend more time responding to and administering domestic violence cases than any other crime type. They investigate any behavior that controls, intimidates, frightens or coerces a victim.

“With Operation Amarok, we shifted our focus to the offender and deployed our officers in the same way as we would to any violent criminal. The operation results speak for themselves.

“In just four days, Operation Amarok saw police engage with 2,000 high-risk domestic and family violence offenders, sending a strong message to all past and potential offenders that their predatory behavior will not be tolerated.”

Information about the NSW Police Force’s response to domestic and family violence, including links to victim services, can be found online: https://www.police.nsw.gov.au/crime/domestic_and_family_violence.

Reports of domestic and family-related crime or abuse can be made by contacting or attending your local police station. In an emergency, contact Triple Zero (000).

Anyone with information about domestic and family violence is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated strictly confidential. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.