Published Yesterday at 10:09 AM

Minister for Police and Emergency Services
The Honourable Dan Purdie

State Flying Squad cracks 200-deployment milestone

  • The Crisafulli Government’s State Flying Squad has now completed 200 deployments across Queensland, charging 2,961 people with more than 9,000 charges.
  • The specialist squad has been deployed to hotspot locations including Far North District, Townsville District and Darling Downs District.
  • The Crisafulli Government is making Queensland safer and delivering more police to the frontline to turn the tide on Labor’s Youth Crime Crisis. 

The Crisafulli Government’s State Flying Squad has reached a major milestone, with more than 200 deployments to crime hotspots across Queensland, charging more than 2,900 people and making Queensland safer. 

The State Flying Squad is the largest police rapid response unit in Queensland’s history and provides surge capacity into crime hotspots to help restore safety where you live and turn the tide on Labor’s Youth Crime Crisis. 

The State Flying Squad has completed 202 deployments across Queensland which has seen 2,961 people – including 1,555 juveniles – charged with 9,041 offences.  

In its latest deployment to Caboolture from 16 to 22 November, the Flying Squad charged 19 people - including eight juveniles - with 61 offences. 

During their decade of decline, the former Labor Government watered down the laws and created Queensland’s Youth Crime Crisis, resulting in the number of victims of crime skyrocketing by 193%.

The Crisafulli Government is making Queensland safer with stronger laws, more police, early intervention and rehabilitation, resulting in victim numbers dropping 9.6% compared to Labor’s last full financial year. 

Hotspot locations for the State Flying Squad have included: 

  • 30 deployments to the Far North District 

  • 30 deployments to the Townsville District 

  • 20 deployments to the Darling Downs District 

  • 17 deployments to the Wide Bay Burnett District  

  • 17 deployments to the Capricornia District  

  • 13 deployments to the Moreton District   

The 58 officer specialist unit is triple the size of previous flying squads and is backed by $32.4 million in funding, ending the makeshift approach left behind by Labor which saw officers borrowed from critical specialist units to fill temporary positions. 

Minister for Police and Emergency Services Dan Purdie said reaching 200 deployments demonstrated the State Flying Squad was delivering the surge capacity Queensland Police needed to respond to crime hotspots. 

“Labor spent a decade leaving Queensland Police to make do with a piecemeal approach, borrowing officers from specialist units instead of properly resourcing a rapid response capability," Minister Purdie said. 

"We have tripled the size of the Flying Squad because Queenslanders deserve a government that backs police to target serious offenders and restore safety. 

“After a decade of being asked to do more with less by the former Labor Government, Queensland Police now have a properly resourced specialist squad that can move quickly to where support is needed most.” 

Queensland Police Crime Command’s Detective Chief Superintendent Colin Briggs said communities across the state continue to benefit from State Flying Squad deployments. 

“Additional support from the Flying Squad enhances the excellent work being done by local officers and other specialist units, every day,” Detective Chief Superintendent Briggs said. 

“The Squad provide an investigative surge capacity, allowing us to efficiently execute proactive and reactive operations, while boosting police visibility and positive community engagement. 

“The Squad’s investigators and award-winning inbuilt intelligence capability continue to support local resources, effectively targeting offenders that repeatedly cause the most harm in Queensland communities.” 

ENDS 

MEDIA CONTACT: Nat Gradwell, 0449 186 116