Logan Police District struggles with 5 per cent vacancy rate as crime taskforce disbanded

A crucial crime-busting taskforce will be pulled from Logan, a busy southside policing district, despite a significant 5 per cent police staffing shortage and a disturbing trend in violent crime.

Logan police vacancies as of January 31, 2025. Police officer vacancy is based on the gap between the Approved Permanent Position FTE for Police Officers and the Police Officer Substantive Headcount. The vacancy rate percentage is based on the vacancy as a proportion of the total Approved Strength. DATA: QPS

A crucial crime-busting taskforce will be pulled from Logan, a busy southside policing district, despite a significant 5 per cent police staffing shortage and a disturbing trend in violent crime.

The decision to withdraw Taskforce Guardian, which has been a key part of the region’s efforts to combat youth gangs and violent crime, has raised concerns in Logan, where police in January were unable to respond to more than 100 domestic violence jobs just hours before a young mother was allegedly set on fire by her former partner.

Logan mother Destiny Otton-Rakuraku, who was in a serious condition after allegedly being set on fire. Picture: The Courier-Mail

Taskforce Guardian will be replaced by a range of initiatives, including the expansion of the State Flying Squad and Youth Crime Taskforce.

The policing district, south of Brisbane, is currently facing a police staffing crisis with Police Minister Dan Purdie confirming a total of 40 unfilled positions in January, equating to a 5 per cent vacancy rate across major police ranks with the vacancies spread across various ranks.

The number and rate of reported victims of Homicide (Murder) and Other Homicide offences by police district, between November 1, 2024 and January 1, 2025. The data was preliminary and QPS said figures did not represent a unique person count as a person may be the victim of more than one offence in the period. The data relates to homicide (murder) and other homicide offences only with rates expressed per 100,000 persons and calculated based on the estimated residential population as at June 30. Some Queensland figures include locations that cannot be attributed to a particular district. As a result, the sum of all districts may not equal the Queensland figures.

The Logan staffing shortage was particularly severe in senior positions, with a deficit of two senior sergeants and six sergeants positions, equating to a 6 per cent vacancy rate in senior roles.

Beenleigh Division was hardest hit with 12 vacant positions, equating to a staggering 15 per cent vacancy rate.

Despite the shortage, Mr Purdie said the Operation Whiskey Legion taskforce would not continue beyond June with its next scheduled deployment due in April and May.

“Taskforce Guardian has done valuable work, but resources will now be shifted to expanding the State Flying Squad and Youth Crime Taskforce,” he said.

“The former ALP government failed to fund a range of police activities, including Operation Whiskey Legion, beyond June 30, 2025.

Operation Whiskey Legion taskforce will not continue after June. Picture: QPS

“The Crisafulli government has committed $32.4 million for the State Flying Squad, tripling its size, to enable the integration of the work currently being undertaken by Taskforce Guardian and Operation Whiskey Legion.

“An additional $15.4 million will be allocated to the Youth Crime Taskforce.”

The withdrawal of Taskforce Guardian has been seen as a major blow to law enforcement in the region at a time when violent crime across parts of state is on the rise, including an increase in homicide-related offences.

QPS data from November 2024 to January 2025, showed Logan had one “homicide-related offence” during the period, equating to a homicide rate of 0.2 per 100,000 people, lower than Mt Isa (3.4 per 100,000) and Ipswich (1 per 100,000).

While the temporary Taskforce Guardian and Operation Whiskey Legion deployed 289 officers to Logan in July 2024 resulting in 264 arrests and 140 cases closed, the state said such operations were not long-term solutions.

Queensland Police Service undertook the largest recruitment drive in its history last year. Picture: QPS

New funding initiatives under the Crisafulli government have redirected funding toward the expansion of other operations including the borderless policing model which allows officers to be redeployed across districts based on operational needs and staffing shortages.

The Queensland Police Service undertook the largest recruitment drive in its history to deliver 1450 additional police officers in July last year.