NSW domestic violence police operations

New South Wales Police initiated a targeted domestic violence operation, releasing images and descriptions of individuals wanted on warrants to assist in their search.

This effort culminated in a three-day crackdown known as Operation Amarok 14, conducted between August 14 and August 16 across New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. The operation resulted in 732 people being arrested and charged, alongside the execution of 228 arrest warrants.

Specific incidents included the arrest of a 32-year-old man in the Hunter region following an investigation into a serious assault in Hamilton South. The individual faces charges including assault occasioning actual bodily harm and intentional choking. Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism Yasmin Catley noted that the operation was intended to “turn pressure back onto offenders who rely on fear and control.”

In total, the 732 arrests accounted for 1,589 offences. Police identified 546 breaches of apprehended domestic violence orders and seized 118 firearms and 16 other weapons, including Glock pistols, a crossbow, and a WWII-era Lee Enfield rifle. For the first time, NSW Police partnered with ACT Policing to prevent offenders from evading authorities by crossing the border. Minister Catley described the results as a “stark and confronting reminder of the scale of domestic violence across the state.”