Assaults on South Australian police rise 25% as other crimes fall
Police assaults in South Australia climbed 25% to 793 incidents over the 12 months to August 2026, marking the 12th straight increase, while robberies and homicides fell.
South Australia Police released statistics revealing a 25% increase in assaults on officers, rising from 635 to 793 cases in the 12-month span ending August 2026, the 12th consecutive year-on-year rise. At the same time, robbery incidents fell 13% to 438, following a previous 16% drop, and homicide-related offences declined 21% to 42. Theft from retail premises decreased marginally to 21,757, while residential break-ins grew to 5,947 and non-residential break-ins to 3,513.
Sexual offences recorded a slight increase, reaching 2,718 cases. Assistant Commissioner David O'Donovan attributed the robbery reduction to focused policing of repeat offenders, including detention and stricter bail conditions, and affirmed ongoing efforts to support victims and curb such crimes.
Why it matters
Rising attacks on police threaten officer safety even as overall crime rates decline.
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