Operation Amarok II, an anti-domestic violence operation carried out last week charged 644 people across the state including three serious offenders in the Hunter region.
The intelligence-based policing strategy led by each region’s Domestic Violence High-Risk Offender Teams (DVHROT), ran from last Wednesday (19 April 2023) to Saturday (22 April 2023) and involved officers from all police area commands and police districts in NSW, as well as various proactive and specialist units.
Of the 644 people arrested, 314 were identified amongst NSW’s most dangerous domestic violence offenders and 164 of those had outstanding warrants for violent offences.
Over the four days, police engaged with high-risk domestic violence offenders on 1262 occasions, made 326 applications for Apprehended Domestic Violence Orders (ADVOs), served 460 outstanding ADVOs, completed 4949 ADVO compliance checks and 1633 bail compliance checks. In total, police seized 23 firearms and 45 prohibited weapons, as well as various types of illicit drugs located with 121 detections.
In the Hunter, officers were conducting patrols on Wednesday in Singleton Heights when they sighted two men who were both wanted for domestic violence offences.
The two men were arrested without incident – the 35-year-old was charged with three counts of contravene prohibition/restriction in AVO (Domestic), two counts of act with intent to influence witness to procure acquittal. He was formally refused bail to reappear at Newcastle Local Court.
The other man, a 22-year-old, was charged with stalk/intimidate intend fear physical etc harm (domestic), assault occasioning actual bodily harm (DV), and fail to appear in accordance with bail acknowledgment. He was formally refused bail and is next due to appear at Muswellbrook Local Court in May.
The third Hunter man was arrested on Friday.
Just before 11am on Friday Port Stephens-Hunter Police District officers were at a hotel in East Maitland when they found a 27-year-old man playing poker machines who was wanted for serious domestic violence offences.
The man was arrested and searched – officers located a large hunting knife and the keys to a stolen vehicle.
He was taken to Maitland Police Station, where the warrant for assault occasioning actual bodily harm (DV), stalk/intimidate intend fear physical etc harm (domestic) and contravene prohibition/restriction in AVO (Domestic) was executed, and he was charged with two counts of destroy or damage property (DV), stalk/intimidate intend fear physical etc harm (domestic), drive conveyance taken without consent of owner and custody of knife in public place. He was formally refused bail to next appear in court next month.
NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said reducing the risk of harm to victims remains a key organisational priority.
“Perpetrators are on notice; the Amarok arm of our strategy focuses on them, including assessing their intent, their capability to inflict harm and the access they have to their current or future victims,” Commissioner Webb said.
“We will continue proactive Amarok deployments, along with the use of a sophisticated suite of strategies, to target dangerous domestic violence offending and protect our communities.”
Victims of domestic and family violence can find information about support services by contacting 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) or visiting: https://www.1800respect.org.au.
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 relating to domestic and family-related violence is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence.