Published Wednesday, 30 May, 2007 at 05:30 PM
Minister for Police and Corrective Services
The Honourable Judy Spence
POLICE CLOCKING UP THE KILOMETRES TO FIGHT RURAL CRIME
Officers from the Queensland Police Service’s Stock and Rural Crime Investigation Squad have travelled the equivalent of 19 times around the circumference of earth in the last year fighting rural crime, Minister for Police Judy Spence said today.
Ms Spence told a SARCIS conference in Longreach she was staggered to hear members of the 36-officer squad had travelled a total of 780,000 kilometres investigating crime in regional and rural areas.
“I commend all SARCIS staff for their commitment to a demanding job which sees officers spending up to 10 nights away from their families every month,” Ms Spence said.
Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson also praised the work of SARCIS officers who last year had to deal with the reported theft of more than $1.5 million in livestock.
Commissioner Atkinson highlighted a recent investigation into rural fraud which SARCIS conducted with their New South Wales police counterparts.
“As a result of the hard work by both police services, three people were arrested in relation to the alleged fraudulent purchase of rural land and equipment with the property involved valued at up to $21 million,” Commissioner Atkinson said.
The Queensland police Stock Squad, as it was then known, was formed in 1959 comprising four officers based at Brisbane CIB.
On January 27, 2006, the QPS formally approved a name change for the various stock squads to the Stock and Rural Crime Investigation Squad which is now based in 10 locations around Queensland.
Ms Spence told the conference, SARCIS is providing the highest standard of service to Queensland regional communities.
“Your efforts in solving rural crime including stock theft, working with other agencies to reduce the threat of exotic disease outbreaks and helping locals improve farm security play a vital role in maintaining law and order in rural and regional Queensland,” Ms Spence said.
Media Contact: Troy Davies 0439 673 287
Ms Spence told a SARCIS conference in Longreach she was staggered to hear members of the 36-officer squad had travelled a total of 780,000 kilometres investigating crime in regional and rural areas.
“I commend all SARCIS staff for their commitment to a demanding job which sees officers spending up to 10 nights away from their families every month,” Ms Spence said.
Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson also praised the work of SARCIS officers who last year had to deal with the reported theft of more than $1.5 million in livestock.
Commissioner Atkinson highlighted a recent investigation into rural fraud which SARCIS conducted with their New South Wales police counterparts.
“As a result of the hard work by both police services, three people were arrested in relation to the alleged fraudulent purchase of rural land and equipment with the property involved valued at up to $21 million,” Commissioner Atkinson said.
The Queensland police Stock Squad, as it was then known, was formed in 1959 comprising four officers based at Brisbane CIB.
On January 27, 2006, the QPS formally approved a name change for the various stock squads to the Stock and Rural Crime Investigation Squad which is now based in 10 locations around Queensland.
Ms Spence told the conference, SARCIS is providing the highest standard of service to Queensland regional communities.
“Your efforts in solving rural crime including stock theft, working with other agencies to reduce the threat of exotic disease outbreaks and helping locals improve farm security play a vital role in maintaining law and order in rural and regional Queensland,” Ms Spence said.
Media Contact: Troy Davies 0439 673 287