Police Operation Whiskey Legion launched in Cairns
The Far North’s most wanted crooks have been put on notice as specialised investigators arrive in town targeting crims on outstanding warrants, domestic violence offenders and property crime culprits.
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The Far North’s most wanted crooks have been warned put on notice as a new operation using specialised investigators rolls into town to target criminals on outstanding warrants, domestic violence offenders and property crime culprits.
Operation Whiskey Legion is a Queensland Police Service initiative aimed at reducing crime and making the community safer.
Following on from the success of Task Force Guardian, specialist police from Highway Patrol, Crime and Intelligence Command, the Dog Squad, and Crime Prevention units aim to drive down crime and take strong action against those causing harm in the community.
Arriving in Cairns from Brisbane on Thursday to launch the new operation, Acting Assistant Commissioner Craig McGrath said though the operation would hold offenders to account, there was also a focus on providing information to crime victims.
“We have highway patrol, we have specialist capabilities that people might not get to see but are working as a force multiplier with the district with (to address) problems,” he said.
“So it’s very much focused on the crime, the property crime, family violence, and holding the offender, irrespective of what age they are, to account.
“The other part of the operation folds into making sure we close the loop in regards to victims.
“That’s one thing that we continue to improve with, giving feedback to victims in regards to the prosecution or about what’s happened with the investigation.”
Officers will be sent to Cairns, Port Douglas, the Cassowary Coast and Tablelands regions during the deployment.
So far this year in a 38 per cent increase on the 2023 number, 18 lives have been lost on Far North roads and throughout Queensland there have been a total of 208 fatalities as a result of crashes.
Assistant Commissioner McGrath said random drug tests and random breath tests were another important priority of Operation Whiskey Legion.
“Across Queensland, the road toll is 208 people, it’s easy to say that number, and that rolls off your tongue quite easily, but it’s 208 individuals who have gone and the impact of that on their families and loved ones is significant.
“So be it on the road here in Cairns or on the beautiful beaches heading up to the Daintree people can expect to see the police on the roads.”
Statewide since Operation Whiskey Legion launched in April, 3480 people have been charged with 8741 offences.
On Friday from 10am specialist SERT officers will bring their policing toys – including the 6.2-litre turbo-diesel V8 powered Bearcat – to a community engagement event at the Cairns Lagoon.
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Originally published as Police Operation Whiskey Legion launched in Cairns
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