AUSTRALIA COMPUTER THEFT IN SCHOOLSNEWS.com.au | Police guard dogs for schools (December 22, 2004)Police guard dogs for schools
December 22, 2004

POLICE dogs will be used for the first time to guard schools from arsonists, thieves and vandals.

Under a new holiday agreement between New South Wales Police and the Education Department, the Police Dog Unit will also have access to public school grounds for training purposes.

The squad - 100 dogs and their handlers - will form a permanent link with schools across NSW as part of a new offensive against crime on education sites.

Training exercises will be rotated around schools in crime hot-spot areas throughout the state.

Extra guards also will begin patrolling high-risk public schools as part of the security crackdown over the next six weeks.

Education Minister Andrew Refshauge said yesterday: "The presence of police dogs on school grounds during the holidays will send a very clear message to criminals - that our schools are no-go zones.

"Under the new arrangement our school security staff now have direct links with the Police Dog Unit - helping them to respond even quicker to intruders."

Dr Refshauge said the latest statistics showed more security muscle was helping to cut holiday crime in schools.

"Surveillance will be strengthened over the holidays to reduce break-ins, trespass and arson at public schools," the Minister said.

Figures collated for July this year compared with last year showed a clear drop in crime at targeted schools with:


BREAK and enters down by 23 per cent;

TRESPASS reduced by 8 per cent; and

FIRES falling by 57 per cent.
The tougher measures - including lock down devices for new computers - have led to a 60 per cent drop in computer theft from schools in the past two years.
In 2001-2002 3074 computers were stolen from the State's schools. In 2003-2004 the number fell to 1236 computers.
Twenty-two new schools will get security fences to protect them from break-ins, vandalism and arson attacks.