Qld conair: Accused crims to be flown from north to southeast

The Police Minister has come under attack over plans to fly accused criminals from overcrowded watch houses in the state’s north to South East Queensland.

Accused criminals in police watch houses will be flown from the state’s north to South East Queensland amid revelations mattresses had been sent in to massively overfilled centres.

The move follows warnings from Queensland Police Union president Ian Leavers that a death in custody was “waiting to happen”.

Opposition spokesman for Police and Corrective Services, Dale Last, said watch houses should not be used as “de facto correctional centres”.

“The chronic overcrowding of every watch-house in the state is yet another illustration of (Police and Corrective Services Minister) Mark Ryan’s failure to plan. It is also another illustration of Minister Ryan’s failures posing a serious risk to the safety of staff in these facilities.”

Police Minister Mark Ryan.

“The fact is that the rate of assault in Queensland now is almost triple the rates it was when the Palaszczuk government came to power. Minister Ryan has had more than eight years to ensure there are adequate facilities to protect our communities from criminals and he has failed.”

“Queenslanders won’t forget that Minister Ryan’s failures include a reduction in the number of police, a reduction in rural fire service volunteers, overcrowding in prisons and now overcrowding in watch houses. Queenslanders rely on Minister Ryan to keep them safe but, instead, are seeing failure after failure on his watch.”

“Obviously, Minister Ryan is more concerned with chaos and crisis that is engulfing his government than he is with ensuring the safety of the community and brave people who work in the criminal justice system.”

Townsville’s watch house was on Monday at 178 per cent capacity, Mount Isa 219 per cent and Cairns 125 per cent, according to figures provided by the union.

Townsville had 61 people in custody, including six children, but with 42 beds. Mount Isa had 21 beds and 38 people in custody.

Only a small number of people at each watch house was identified as a Queensland Police Service prisoner in custody, meaning a large proportion should be placed in a jail.

The Courier-Mail was told mattresses had been flown in to some of the watch houses before the decision was made to move prisoners.

Police Union President Ian Leavers. Picture: Steve Pohlner

“North and Far North Queensland’s lack of watch house capacity is a death in custody waiting to happen,” Mr Leavers told The Courier-Mail.

“Mount Isa, Cairns and Townsville watch houses are so full, they are putting three and four people in a cell designed for one person.

“Police are doing their best, however we know unless this situation is fixed, deaths will occur.

“The new laws in Queensland are working and we as police are locking more people up than ever before and the courts are denying bail. However when that occurs, these prisoners need to be immediately moved to actual prisons and not left to languish in overcrowded watch houses that then creates a risk for police and all those who work in watch houses,” he said.

Mr Leavers said police watch houses had a capacity accreditation for a reason.

“No watch house should ever exceed 100 per cent capacity in any category particularly juveniles,” he said.

“The laws are working, however there is simply no room left in watch houses in North Queensland.

“Obviously these offenders cannot be released by police, however they need to be immediately transferred to proper custodial environments such as prisons and youth detention centres.

“There is no capacity left in some watch houses.”

Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll. Picture: Liam Kidston

After the police service was approached for comment, Commissioner Katarina Carroll wrote to the service on Monday night, telling them of the problem.

“In the past week alone, we have gone from supervising 375 prisoners across the state to 461,” Ms Carroll wrote.

“This is an increase of 86 prisoners in just one week alone.

“The increase in capacity has not only put pressure on our system but also the Queensland Corrective Services (QCS) system, who are also at capacity in many of their centres.”

Ms Carroll said QGAir would fly 40 prisoners from overcrowded watch houses in the north to southeast Queensland watch houses which have capacity.

“This strategy is to purposely ensure our workforce remains safe and to reduce the risk within watch houses and this will continue into the future if required.
“On Friday and Saturday, myself and Acting Deputy Commissioner Kev Guteridge will travel to Mount Isa, Townsville and Cairns to meet with management, watch house staff and QPUE representatives to discuss the current issues and also long-term options to ensure the health and safety of staff is our number one priority as well as ensuring community safety.”

In the longer term she said the issue would be resolved with the mega jail at Gatton and the new youth remand facility to be built at Wacol.

“I understand that capacities in watch houses have been an ongoing issue for a significant amount of time and I want to assure all our members that we will continue revising and improving practices to ensure we can keep our members safe,” she wrote.