Aerial support takes flight, Sunshine Coast and Wide Bay

• Police ‘eye in the sky’ has officially launched and will be operational on the Sunshine Coast and in Wide Bay.
• Surf Lifesaving Queensland has been appointed as the provider of aerial support services.
• The helicopter will be based in Caloundra as part of an interim service contract, until a permanent PolAir arrangement is procured. 

The Queensland Police Service (QPS) has expanded its aerial capabilities with a new helicopter to service the Sunshine Coast and Wide Bay communities from today, September 25.

Surf Lifesaving Queensland has been appointed as the successful contractor ahead of the procurement of a permanent POLAIR resource for the North Coast Region.

The aerial equipment will enhance community safety, assisting police in tracking stolen vehicles, arresting offenders, and locating missing persons. 

The aircraft has a high-tech camera system with infrared, moving map and vehicle tracking to support law enforcement efforts on the ground, helping police effectively and efficiently respond to incidents and keep the community safe.

On board, a pilot, camera operator and police observer work together to assist crews on the ground.

The state-of-the-art helicopter will cover the Sunshine Coast and Wide Bay areas.

The additional aerial support will bolster Queensland’s POLAIR fleet, making it the largest aerial police capability in Australia.

This has come as the Wide Bay has seen a 34 per cent reduction in youth crime, and the Sunshine Coast has seen a 9.5 per cent youth crime reduction in the first six months of this year, in comparison to the same period last year.

This demonstrates that the Miles Government’s Queensland Community Safety Plan is working, and enhancing community safety.

Quotes attributable to Police Minister Mark Ryan:

“This is an investment in enhancing police operational capability and therefore community safety.

“We’re continuing to provide frontline police officers with advanced technology and equipment to enable a high quality of service to the community.

“I know this new helicopter will make a big difference in keeping communities safe across the Sunshine Coast and the Wide Bay Burnett districts.”

Quotes attributable to Jason Hunt MP, Member for Caloundra:

“We’ve seen the difference a Poliar helicopter can make in Townsville, so I’m delighted to see the same capability on the Sunshine Coast.

“I know that our hardworking police will welcome this game changing asset.

“Only the Miles Government will back the frontline with the resources they need to enhance community safety.”

Quotes attributable to Rob Skelton MP, Member for Nicklin:

“This new aerial capability for the Sunshine Coast/Wide Bay region is a great initiative of the Community Safety Plan.

“It will be a very useful asset for police to enhance community safety, providing an eye-in-the-sky to assist with tracking vehicles, locating offenders, finding missing persons and other policing operations.

“I’ve advocated strongly for Polair on the Sunshine Coast because I know it makes challenging police operations safer for the community and safer for the police on the ground.”

Quotes attributable to Adrian Tantari MP, Member for Hervey Bay:

"This new police helicopter will provide our local police with an additional resource to strengthen community safety across Hervey Bay when needed.

"I look forward to working towards the establishment of a refuelling station at the Hervey Bay Airport, as well, to extend the police helicopter range within our region.

"The Miles Labor Government is doing what matters to build a better Hervey Bay.

Quotes attributable to North Coast Region Acting Assistant Commissioner Douglas McDonald:

“The helicopter will be a great asset to operational policing across the Sunshine Coast and Wide Bay Burnett districts and will strengthen our efforts to keep the community and our police safe.

“Having an aerial capability to support officers on the ground will be a game-changer in the way we track offenders, search for missing people and gain situational awareness.

“I know this has been a much used and valued capability for my colleagues in Townsville and south-east Queensland so I’m looking forward to utilising it here.”

Quotes attributable to Surf Life Saving Queensland Aviation CEO Ken Clark:

“We are looking forward to assisting in the aerial support services for the Queensland Police Service and are confident in our pilot’s ability to work with the police to support the local Sunshine Coast and Wide Bay Burnett communities.

“We have vast experience in flying aircraft for the police and are always looking to develop with continual improvement in the support of aerial support services.”

ENDS