Thumbs-up for reform

Frontline 2020, launched a year ago after a six-month trial in the busy southeast district, has been heralded as a success.

New Social Research Centre survey results show public satisfaction in the district has risen.

"The survey results are most encouraging, particularly as they have shown a sustained improvement over the past 18 months," district Inspector Mark Ridley said.

For example, the number of people rating themselves "satisfied or very satisfied" with their latest police contact in the district has improved to more than 87 per cent, outstripping the WA average of 83 per cent.

The rating of confidence in police has improved to 87.9 per cent, the highest ever recorded for the district and again outstripping the WA average of 85.8 per cent.

There was a corresponding drop in crime: in 2014-15, burglaries are down 6.1 per cent on 2013-14, car thefts are down 12 per cent and robberies are down 27.9 per cent.

Inspector Ridley said while challenges remained, " for example with stealing offences, which had risen 25.4 per cent for the Armadale subdistrict (contributed to by people leaving valuables in their vehicles), fuel drive-offs and minor stealing offences " the same trends were evident across the district.