Cairns crime wave: Should council bring back private security force?
Cairns Regional Council was on the verge of launching a full-scale security service three decades ago to stop Cairns becoming another crime-riddled Gold Coast. There are calls for it to come back.
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Cairns Regional Council was on the verge of launching a full-scale security service almost three decades ago to stop Cairns becoming another crime-riddled Gold Coast.
Now there are calls for it to come back.
A Cairns Post article from 1994 shows then-mayor Kevin Byrne used the ratepayer-funded crime force as one of his chief Unity Team election platforms.
He faced a stern rebuke from then state treasurer, the late-Keith De Lacy, for meddling in state issues, but the mayor was steadfast in his commitment.
“Under the Unity Team, I have made the commitment law and order will be a priority and we will ensure the city bylaws are enforced,” he said.
“I know we will get co-operation from the state police in that process.
“We are not taking over their function, but rather are providing our contribution to enforcement of those bylaw provisions that obviously will assist in improving the overall law and order pattern in this city.”
The council at the time had only recently abandoned a similar three-month pilot program due to cost issues – but matters had worsened significantly since it was canned.
Mr Byrne’s electoral loss to Tom Pyne effectively killed the project and it has never been resurrected.
The city’s current problems have brought it back to the fore.
The 1994 proposal was not the last time a private council-run security force was flagged for Cairns during an election campaign.
Division 8 candidate Todd Olds, brother of Division 9 incumbent Brett Olds, made a call in the 2020 local government election campaign for Cairns Regional Council to mobilise its own force.
He wanted the council to replicate the model used by the City of Stirling in Western Australia.
It would have run alongside police, with officers working 24-hour rotations to reduce preventable crime and anti-social behaviour.
Security officers would not have police powers but Mr Olds suggested their mere presence and ability to get on-site quickly as witnesses would have a powerful effect.
Patrols could be tasked with helping to reduce everything from graffiti and out-of-control parties to street violence and irresponsible pet ownership.
“I believe the state and federal governments can chip in for it,” Mr Olds said at the time.
The City of Stirling’s website said patrol officers worked to “monitor and report suspicious activity and anti-social behaviour, attend community disturbances such as noisy parties, conduct regular patrols of crime hot spots (and) report damage and vandalism in our streets”.
Like Mr Byrne before him, the older Olds lost the election and his proposal was never set in motion.
Just a week ago, Freshwater residents revealed they were looking into hiring their own private security firm to fight mounting crime issues in the suburb.
Kane Brown rallied the support of his community in response to increased car thefts in the area.
“I am starting to take it personally and wanting to protect my community,” he said.
“(I know a good) security firm and maybe we can set up a plan that works for everyone, and council can help fund it or the community can chip in.
“I am sure we can fund it.”
But Cairns Mayor Bob Manning has ruled out a dedicated council-run security force – and said the recent Our Cairns survey showed it would not have broad community support.
“When respondents were asked about expanding our security patrols to the suburbs, 70 per cent of respondents were unsupportive, the most common reason being ‘crime is a police matter’,” he said.
“I recently spoke with the Queensland police Minister while he was in Cairns, in part about the 12 new police officers commencing this financial year.
“Over the next two years, 150 additional officers will be placed north of Cardwell.
“Increasing the number of police officers is an initiative overwhelming supported by the community (as per the Our Cairns survey.)
“Whilst we will always proactively engage and collaborate with the QPS, policing must remain a state government responsibility.”
Cr Manning said the local government made extensive use of CCTV technology and shared relevant footage with police.
“The management of law and order issues is best left with QPS who have far more extensive powers, with council offering assistance where it can,” he said.
“This arrangement works effectively. CCTV coverage is continually assessed and council continues to expand its CCTV network, which is now being extended into the suburbs.
“As part of a functional review, we have expanded our focus on initiatives that will improve community safety through behavioural change, more proactive regulatory services, and the improvement of community resilience though social capacity building.”
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