Commander Michael Hebb makes the claim knowing the most recent crime statistics for the town still make poor reading.

For instance, shop break-ins are still more than 100 per cent higher than they were a year ago.

But they are not the 200 per cent rise of a few months ago, that's his point in a nutshell.

It is commercial break-ins which had taken priority police attention after Katherine came to attention as suffering the worst rise in the Territory.

Shopkeepers and business owners were almost frightened to go to work wondering what they might find.

Commander Hebb said a 100 per cent annual rise still sounds bad but not as bad as 200 per cent.

"We know we have a lot of work to do, we are still determined to keep after this, but we do believe we are turning the corner.

"We are pleased to see crime here is finally coming down.

"We are going in the right direction, we are making impacts."

Commander Hebb sat down with the Katherine Times to explain the latest crime statistics were not as bad as they seemed.

He gave credit to the hard work of many police but also the many community organisations and groups who have joined police of late in the fight.

"In the end this is a community effort, not just police," he said.

"They should know their efforts are starting to pay off."

He said police had decided early on that taking a collaborative approach to the town's crime problem was the best way to tackle it.

He also thanks the many shop and business owners who had taken steps themselves to better secure their premises to ward off the mainly young crooks.

Police and other community groups are still working with homeowners to help them also better secure their properties and valued possessions.

Commander Hebb said police had their attention focused on many priority areas, not just commercial break-ins.

"To us things like road safety, domestic violence, assaults, car theft, they are all priorities."

He said the arrival of the liquor inspectors had also helped lower assault rates and gave police a new, more visible presence in town.

While Commander Hebb is personally convinced crime rates on their way down, he warned of the occasional blip in the months ahead.

"We might still have some bad months but the trend to us is clear.

"I want people to have confidence we are doing everything we can do."

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