QPS Commissioner Ian Stewart backs rollout of 53 new Townsville police officers over four years

Queensland’s top cop weighs in on the State Government’s promise to rollout 53 new police officers in Townsville.

Police Commissioner Ian Stewart and Police Minister Mark Ryan have defended the four-year rollout of new Townsville officers. Picture: Zak Simmonds

QUEENSLAND’S top cop has reassured Townsville residents the city will receive an extra 53 officers promised by the State Government over the next four years as planned.

QPS Commissioner Ian Stewart was in Townsville yesterday with Police Minister Mark Ryan to visit a cohort of young recruits about to complete their training at the Townsville Police Academy.

Of the 46 recruits expected to graduate next month, nine will be stationed in the Townsville region to fill existing vacant positions.

Mr Stewart said the QPS would undertake additional recruitment work to grow Townsville’s police strength by 53 officers by 2022 as per the Government’s plan.

“It takes us so long to meet our commitments just to deal with attrition and then growth on top of that is always the added extra,” he said.

“So we plan that way ahead … but it will be a gradual roll out of those extra numbers, it takes a long time to create a fully functional police officer.”

Mr Stewart said in addition to locking up offenders police were also working prevent crimes in the community.

“Policing can be a very blunt instrument meaning that one of the major ways that we prevent crime is by arresting people who commit crimes,” he said.

“One of our predominant roles as well as being a blunt instrument that arrests people and puts them into the system is also to try and divert them away and prevent crime.”

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Mr Ryan said police in Townsville have had “outstanding” arrest results.

“When people are committing crime, the police are catching them, that’s the fact of the matter,” he said.

“But everyone does have the right to only be safe but feel safe and that’s why this Government’s commitment is to never give up.

“So long as there’s feelings out there of people not feeling safe in their community we’ll continue to invest in those early intervention and prevention strategies,” he said.

”It’s the way to break the cycle but also increase community safety.”.

WHERE WILL THE NEW RECRUITS GO?

Townsville Station — 5

Stuart Station — 1

Kirwan Station — 1

Mundingburra Station — 1

Deeragun Station — 1

Originally published as QPS Commissioner Ian Stewart backs rollout of 53 new Townsville police officers over four years