POLICE HQ BUNGLES CRIME FIGURES

Embarrassed staff at the Police Commissioner's office bungled figures
surrounding the national crime statistics this week and have since
revealed a large jump in major drug crime.

A media release sent out from the commissioner's office relating to
crime statistics last year incorrectly stated that there was a 1 per
cent rise in non-cannabis-related drug offences.

But the offences in that category had in fact jumped by 24.8 per cent.
The increase for the previous year was 28.4 per cent.

The office has issued an apology.

General manager for public affairs at the office, Michael Player, said
it was a mistake from his department. He blamed a change to the
different categories, saying "we just got a bit mixed up".

"We really don't have a good explanation. We just missed it from our
quality control check."

Police last year created a new category for drug offending called New
Drugs. That accompanied the category, non-cannabis-related drug offending.

With those two categories combined, there were 3545 non-cannabis drug
offences last year compared with 2623 during 2002.

Mr Player said it was also an embarrassment to the department for not
briefing Police Commissioner Rob Robinson in the right way, because Mr
Robinson did not know that the figure was incorrect when he commented
on it.

No disciplinary action had been taken.

National Party law and order spokesman Tony Ryall said the real
figures showed that there was "a massive increase" in non-cannabis
drug offences.

He said the large increase in drug offending and violent crime was the
work of criminal gangs. Until the police were better equipped to smash
drug-dealing gangs, then the crime statistics would keep heading the
wrong way.

Mr Ryall said it was inconceivable that Police Minister George Hawkins
did not see the media statement before it was released.