Plans to give Qld police new powers to scan for knives

Plans to give police new powers to scan for knives in shopping centres have been met with a mixed response by cops and families affected by knife crime.

Vyleen White was allegedly stabbed to death at a suburban shopping centre. Picture: Supplied/Facebook (via NCA NewsWire)

Plans to give police new powers to scan for knives in shopping centres following the fatal stabbing of grandmother Vyleen White have been branded “insane” by frontline cops who say the measure won’t work.

The State Government is planning to introduce new laws to extend the police use of metal detectors in safe night precincts and on public transport to shopping centres.

It comes after Ms White was stabbed to death in front of her six-year-old grand-daughter at a Redbank Plains shopping centre earlier this month, allegedly at the hands of a 16-year-old carjacker.

Vyleen White. Picture: Supplied/Facebook (via NCA NewsWire)

But operational cops have criticised the move, saying they would be “crucified” by the public for targeting shoppers - and don’t have the manpower to do it anyway.

One senior officer said while the use of metal detectors had made the state’s safe night precincts safer, police would face a significant civil liberties backlash if they started “wanding” people in shopping centres.

“It’s just insane - we’re going to get crucified,” he said, adding that retailers and shopping centre landlords would also not be happy having police scanning their customers.

“We don’t like eroding civil liberties, which hand-held scanning does, but it has made the safe night precincts safer. But taking it into shopping centres is crazy and a knee-jerk reaction to the Vyleen White tragedy.

“We also just don’t have the troops. We’re getting pulled from pillar to post as it is with DV (domestic violence) and youth crime.”

But anti-knife campaigners Brett and Belinda Beasley, whose 17-year-old son Jack was stabbed to death in Surfers Paradise in 2019, said extending the “Jack’s Law” police wanding powers would help save lives.

“We want to see Jack’s Law used everywhere - in shopping centres, parks, carparks, you name it,” Mr Beasley said.

“It’s the biggest power in the history of Queensland law enforcement and it’s undoubtedly saving lives by getting dangerous weapons off the streets.”

Brett and Belinda Beasley talking to Gold Coast Bulletin on the courts decisions and verdict on their son’s death. Picture: Jerad Williams

The Beasleys this week celebrated the passing of another landmark law restricting knife sales by retailers, as well as a $500,000 State Government grant to continue the Jack Beasley Foundation’s school-based knife education program.

The foundation will this week host its annual sportsman’s lunch at the Southport Sharks football club on the Gold Coast, with speakers including rugby league legend Wally Lewis and cricket great Ian Healy.

Tickets for Friday’s event are still available via https://www.jackbeasleyfoundation.org/