While there's a lot of fear amongst locals about crime related to the ice epidemic in our community, the statistics just don't seem to justify the concern.

"We've found there's no direct correlation between the use of ice and a surge in reports of violent crime in our communities," District Commander Superintendent Paul Fehon said.

"We've actually sometimes noticed a reduction in crime across the board at times when there has been an increase in supply of methylamphetamines."

According to Supt Fehon, the biggest concern on the Mid North Coast currently is the resurgence of heroin which has been occurring over the past 18 months.

Luckily for us, it's a problem that is mostly contained in Kempsey, with a only a few incidents bleeding into our shire.

Supt Fehon said our country has been relatively free from the scourge of heroin addiction since the early noughties when supply was cut off at the source overseas.

But the cycle of heroin dependency and rising crime rates has started to rear its ugly head again.

There are two positives here, however:

"In the last two days we have executed seven search warrants across the Kempsey area, and seized heroin, amphetamines, cannabis, a taser, two batons, and capsicum spray, plus over $10,000 in cash," Supt Fehon said.

"This is a tremendous success for the community, helping take the scourge of illicit drugs off the streets."

Three women aged 26 to 63, and four men aged 26 to 62 stand accused. Collectively they face a multitude of charges, including supply of prohibited drugs, six counts of operating a drug premises, 30 charges of supplying drugs, three of possessing prohibited weapons and three of dealing with the proceeds of crime.

Crime numbers were down in most categories in our Valley throughout the past three months.

The only areas which saw a spike, or a continued upward trajectory, included assault, malicious damage and steal from motor vehicle.

A milder-than-usual winter, and an earlier-than-expected temperature rise, along with the absence of rain, could possibly have something to do with these statistics increasing in the month of August, according to Supt Fehon.

Hot weather also coincides with a rise in opportunistic crimes like stealing from vehicles and dwellings.

Related: Cluster of vehicle break-ins around the Valley

But he concedes that malicious damage is a "continuously pertinent issue" in the Nambucca.

Senior Constable Steve Cherry said CCTV footage of retail theft incidents posted on the Mid North Coast Police Facebook page has led to a number of convictions.

"Usually within 24 hours of posts going up online, people are shamed into dobbing themselves in," he said.

But the number one focus in the Valley is still domestic violence.

"There has been a 34 percent increase in domestic violence-related homicides across the state," Supt Fehon said.

"In the Nambucca there's an average of two domestic violence assaults per week."

On July 1, the Nambucca welcomed new Probationary Constables Borg and Herraman into the team.

There is also a recruitment process underway to secure a brand new sergeant at Nambucca Heads.

Supt Fehon encouraged the public to report every incident as it occurs; reports prove an increased workload which justifies an increase in resources such as new officers.

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