Security upgrades to prevent inmates roof access
TOWNSVILLE’S juvenile detention centre will receive a multi-million dollar upgrade to prevent detainees climbing onto the roof and causing damage to property.
Townsville
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TOWNSVILLE’S juvenile detention centre will receive a multi-million-dollar upgrade to prevent detainees climbing on to the roof and causing damage to property.
The Department of Justice has allocated $3.4 million for the upgrade of Cleveland Youth Detention Centre’s building security in a Draft State Infrastructure Plan.
It comes after numerous escape attempts by detainees via the roof since the facility opened in the 1980s.
A total of $200,000 was spent on the project to June 2015, with another $3.2 million to be spent by the end of the 2015-16 financial year.
A Department of Justice and Attorney-General spokeswoman said construction works had started in August and were expected to be completed early next year.
“The Cleveland Youth Detention Centre building security upgrade … refers to the installation of roof barriers,” the spokeswoman said.
“These barriers are designed to prevent young people from climbing on to building roofs and mitigate the risk of injury to young people and damage to the property.”
The spokeswoman said perimeter security would also be improved at Townsville Correctional Centre to help maintain community safety.
“The program will upgrade the security management system software as well as associated hardware and equipment and is part of a broader perimeter security upgrade program at Queensland correctional centres,” she said.
Together Union Townsville spokesman Billy Colless said corrections staff welcomed the funding commitment to help keep them safe at work.
“We just hope they consult with staff directly about the changes,” he said. “If government is going to come in with open arms for maintenance and building, they also need look at the number of staff on shift.”
In February last year, six inmates climbed on the roof of the detention centre and pelted police with bricks during a tense six-hour stand-off.
In 2012, a group was involved in an escape attempt and reportedly rushed past staff to get to an internal door.
They then allegedly climbed on to the roof of the centre and tormented staff saying they’d be “the first to escape from Cleveland”.
Originally published as Security upgrades to prevent inmates roof access
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