Police numbers okay?

Now let me get this right - the State Government says we have sufficient police because we have more than the number it believes should be allocated here.

Now let me get this right.

The State Government says we have sufficient police because we have more than the number it believes should be allocated here.

Whoever wrote the press release with that answer to the claim that we have inadequate police numbers on the Fraser Coast deserves to get the Whirlpool award for “spin”.

Instead of making an admission that police are short on the ground on the Fraser Coast, the government is instead saying “you should be grateful; you have more than you should have”.

It must come as a great relief to those hard-working officers who are trying to police this district that they are actually overstaffed.

So every time they roll in for the late night weekend shift to look after 60,000 people in Hervey Bay, or the 30,000 in Maryborough, they can now feel confident they have the back-up needed.

It is true that we don’t have a crime wave sweeping the district and it is true that the crime rate is worse in other regional centres.

But that is not because we have the right amount of police officers.

It is because we have a dedicated local police force that is working long and arduous hours making sure that we are protected.

The Queensland Police Union has identified that our local force is under immense pressure. The union didn’t just make that up.

The union says we need 20 more officers. The police department, through its answers to our questions on this subject, says the union has got it all wrong.

What do you think?

We are ready to mount a strong campaign to get more police working on the Fraser Coast. If that campaign achieves just one extra officer it will be worth the effort.

We want to hear what you think. Use your Facebook or Chronicle login to comment here.

Originally published as Police numbers okay?