Wheatbelt summer strategy focuses on crime

Wheatbelt district superintendent Tony Colfer said the strategy, which continues until the end of May, reaffirmed local police's core business - addressing issues that cause harm to the community.

Local police undertook a Wheatbelt road safety campaign as well as a state traffic campaign over Christmas that Supt. Colfer said was a success.

"Over that period we had patrols on our major roads and back roads," he said.

"Over that time we didn't have any fatal or serious crashes.

"It is so important that we get that presence out in the community.

"We stopped vehicles where drivers showed signs of fatigue and we concentrated on those who were speeding, not wearing seat belts and were using their mobile phones.

"It was really good - we did stop people but overall our drivers were very well behaved."

As of February 17, there have been 14 fatalities on regional roads in 2020.

The Wheatbelt top cop said the summer season brought with it increased reports of burglaries.

"We had a spike in burglaries over the Christmas period as we had an offender who had just been released from prison," Supt. Colfer said.

"He was apprehended and charged with a string of burglaries.

"Since he was arrested, our crime has declined."

A focus of Supt. Colfer since starting in the role in September last year, has been to reduce the impacts of illicit drugs, primarily methamphetamine.

"Unfortunately it doesn't matter where you go around the state, there are drugs in the community," he said.

"Our aim is to look at the intelligence that we get and target those offenders especially the ones that are selling and supplying drugs to people.

"We've been doing a lot of search warrants in and around the district and will continue to do that.

"It's important that we get out and about and we take as many of those drugs out of the community as we can.

"If the community has any concerns at all they can call the Northam Police Station."