Police Minister puts frontline police before shopfronts
Published Thursday, 14 June, 2012 at 05:22 PM
Minister for Police and Community Safety
The Honourable Jack Dempsey
Police Minister Jack Dempsey today said he is responding to community concerns and putting more police on Gold Coast streets.
Mr Dempsey said the boost in the number of police officers would come, despite the Newman Government not proceeding with Labor’s plans to build a Police Beat at Burleigh.
“Policing is not about building a shopfront for political purposes, it’s about getting officers back onto our streets,” Mr Dempsey said.
“Labor’s plan to build a shopfront in Burleigh was a poor policing model and did not meet community expectations.
“And quite simply Queenslanders have had enough of the Labor Party’s smoke and mirrors approach to policing and law and order.
“The Newman Government is all about having more frontline officers for Burleigh and the Gold Coast and this is exactly what we are doing.
“We have already commenced recruiting for 20 additional highly experienced detectives for Taskforce Hydra which concentrates on major and gang-related crime on the Gold Coast.
“Later this month the first of the additional 100 Gold Coast and Logan police officers begin at the Oxley Police Academy and another two intakes in September.”
The Newman Government has committed $275 million over the next four years for 1,100 more Queensland police officers and permanently secured a police helicopter for the Gold Coast.
In addition, the Government will bring 200 non-operational police from administrative duties and placing them back into frontline policing positions.
[ENDS] 14 June 2012
Media Contacts: Danny Donald 0439 719 116 and Sam Smallbone 0417 226 114
Mr Dempsey said the boost in the number of police officers would come, despite the Newman Government not proceeding with Labor’s plans to build a Police Beat at Burleigh.
“Policing is not about building a shopfront for political purposes, it’s about getting officers back onto our streets,” Mr Dempsey said.
“Labor’s plan to build a shopfront in Burleigh was a poor policing model and did not meet community expectations.
“And quite simply Queenslanders have had enough of the Labor Party’s smoke and mirrors approach to policing and law and order.
“The Newman Government is all about having more frontline officers for Burleigh and the Gold Coast and this is exactly what we are doing.
“We have already commenced recruiting for 20 additional highly experienced detectives for Taskforce Hydra which concentrates on major and gang-related crime on the Gold Coast.
“Later this month the first of the additional 100 Gold Coast and Logan police officers begin at the Oxley Police Academy and another two intakes in September.”
The Newman Government has committed $275 million over the next four years for 1,100 more Queensland police officers and permanently secured a police helicopter for the Gold Coast.
In addition, the Government will bring 200 non-operational police from administrative duties and placing them back into frontline policing positions.
[ENDS] 14 June 2012
Media Contacts: Danny Donald 0439 719 116 and Sam Smallbone 0417 226 114