Superintendent Craig Ireland, outgoing commander of the Lake Illawarra Police District, has highlighted the importance of community engagement in addressing youth crime. During his four-year tenure, he prioritized initiatives to bridge gaps between police and Indigenous youth, including the annual Gunji Origin Reconciliation Cup, a series of Oztag matches started in 2022.
The event, co-created with Aboriginal community liaison officer Glen Sutherland, aims to break down barriers between police and the Indigenous community. The most recent cup in September 2025 saw a doubling of participating teams compared to the previous year.
Domestic violence remains a significant challenge, with 1,127 assaults reported in the Illawarra in the past year—equivalent to three per day. This marks an 11% increase from 1,013 cases 20 years ago. Ireland described domestic violence as a whole-of-community problem requiring a whole-of-community response.
On property crime, Operation Regional Mongoose, launched in June 2024, led to 30 people being charged with 201 offences and a 30% reduction in break-ins and vehicle thefts. Long-term, home burglaries have halved from 1,127 in 2016 to 681 last year, while commercial break-ins dropped from 615 to 301.
Ireland is moving to lead the South Coast Police District, covering Nowra to the Victorian border. He expressed enthusiasm for fresh challenges and new community connections. Superintendent Darren Brand will succeed him in Lake Illawarra.
