Far North police backs boost in weapons inspection powers

The Far North’s top cop has backed the broadening of police powers to allow more members of the public to be inspected with metal detectors for dangerous weapons.

A police officer uses a metal detector to scan Member for Barron River, Bree James, for weapons on the Cairns Esplanade. Picture: Samuel Davis

The Far North’s top cop has backed the broadening of police powers to allow more members of the public to be inspected with metal detectors for dangerous weapons.

Six weapons have been taken off Cairns’ streets since Jack’s Law was expanded, with more than 560 people scanned in the past two weeks.

The legislation meant that Queenslanders could be “wanded” in more public places now, District Officer Chief Superintendent Kevin Fitzgibbon said.

“The change allows the police to do wanding in what’s called a relevant place, including safe night precincts, licensed premises, retail areas, shopping precincts, those types of places,” Chief Superintendent Fitzgibbon said.

Under the wanding legislation, community members aren’t required to provide their name and address to a police officer.

Far North Chief Superintendent Kevin Fitzgibbon says six weapons have been taken off Cairns’ streets under Jack’s Law.

“There is training about how to use the wand in the legislation and the procedures they need to follow after they do a wanding and what their powers are,” he said.

“You can’t demand a person’s name and address under the legislation unless you find them committing an offence. So it’s like an RBT.”

Member for Barron River, Bree James, who volunteered to be wanded by authorities on Thursday, welcomed the change.

“These laws show that there are going to be consequences for actions,” Ms James said.

“This is one step forward in reducing the number of people carrying weapons in our region.”

Ms James dismissed claims that the LNP had simply expanded on the former Labor government’s legislation following the stabbing death of teenager Jack Beasley outside a Surfers Paradise supermarket in 2019.

Premier David Crisafulli and Member for Barron River Bree James meet with Chief Superintendent for the Far North Kevin Fitzgibbon, Cairns City Patrol Group Inspector Jamie Horn and Officer in Charge of Cairns Station Acting Senior Sergeant Lyall McKelvie. Picture: Samuel Davis

“It’s a policy that needed to be put into play, and we’ve put it into legislation,” she said.

“It’s something that we needed to have in the community. It’s something that the police were asking for and we’ve made it legislation.”

Exemptions existed under the Weapons Act in relation to the possession of knives, Chief Superintendent Fitzgibbon said.

“There are exceptions for people undertaking employment, recreational activities that require knives, as well as religious reasons and kids doing Boy Scouts and Girl Guides,” he said.

Originally published as Far North police backs boost in weapons inspection powers