First Meeting of Top Brass in Townsville

Frontline service delivery improvements will be driven from Townsville and North Queensland tomorrow through the first regional meeting of the leadership of the Queensland Police Service in its 150 year history.

Police Minister Jack Dempsey said the Executive Leadership Team of the Queensland Police Service (QPS) will meet outside Brisbane for the first time tomorrow. 

“The Government is committed to better infrastructure and planning for every part of Queensland, and this meeting is about better planning for the future,” Minister Dempsey said.

“It also shows that we are delivering on our election promise to revitalise frontline services.

“The meeting in Townsville will be the first of at least two meetings to be held outside Brisbane each year.

“It demonstrates that the Queensland government has a strong plan for the future of policing, as opposed to Labor, which has no plan and no position.

“We are committed to the needs of regional Queenslanders, and this meeting will provide QPS an opportunity to consider the needs of Townsville and North Queensland.

“The Government’s continued effort to revitalise frontline service and our agenda for the future will also be outlined.”

Commissioner for Police Ian Stewart said the meeting was part of the QPS’s ongoing commitment to its regions and their officers.  

“The Townsville meeting is the first time the Executive Leadership Team has met outside Brisbane and demonstrates the respect and support the QPS has for regional Queensland,” Commissioner Ian Stewart said. 

“From now on, these meetings will be held outside Brisbane at least two times each year.

“It is important to stress that we are a Queensland-based police service, not just one for the south-east corner.”

The Executive Leadership Team acts as a consultative forum that identifies opportunities for improvement, provides advice on the strategic direction and leadership of the QPS and drives the direction for efficient and effective outcomes for strategic policing priorities.

The QPS senior team has a virtual meeting each week and in-person meetings once a month.

[ENDS] 16 May 2014                                               

Media Contact: Callum Stewart 0403 925 703