Reduce, deter, disrupt: LNP announce more funding to keep police on patrol in bid to lower Queensland crime rates

Details of a $30m crime boost, including more specialist police officers for Cairns, will be announced by the state government today.

An increase in police officers on patrol across Queensland is set to be announced by the state government today.

More specialist police officers will be on the beat in Cairns and across Queensland as part of a more than $30m funding boost set to be announced by the state government today.

The increased investment will target crime hot spots across the state and builds on Premier David Crisafulli’s commitment to bolster the State Flying Squad, which provides additional police surge capacity.

Increased visibility in public spaces, shopping centres along with retail and restaurant precincts is expected to drive down offending, police minister Dan Purdie said.

Police minister Dan Purdie says authorities will have greater capacity to stop crime as a result of the latest announcement. Picture: Liam Kidston

“We promised Queenslanders we would bolster our police service and that’s exactly what we are doing,” Mr Purdie said.

“After a decade of runaway crime under Labor, Queenslanders deserve to feel safe where they live, and that sense of safety is heightened when they see highly visible police patrolling their communities.”

Queensland Police Service Assistant Commissioner Far Northern Region Brett Schafferius said extra patrols using marked cars, mobile police beats and foot patrols in hot spots will act as a deterrent to potential offenders.

“The QPS had already seen the tremendous success of high-visibility policing operations and patrols,” Mr Schafferius said.

“We welcome additional funding to expand these operations and patrols to support communities across Queensland.

A greater presence within the community will give frontline police officers a better chance of “reducing, deterring and disrupting” crime.

“This additional funding allows officers to go out and conduct additional proactive patrols and saturate any emerging crime hotspots,” Mr Schafferius said.

Queensland Police Assistant Commissioner for the Far North Brett Schafferius has welcomed the funding announcement. Picture: Brendan Radke

The $31.1m in permanent funding was the next step in addressing the community safety concerns, Mr Purdie said.

“Increasing police operations and equipping officers with our Making Queensland Safer Laws, are just some of the methods we are using to turn the tide on Labor’s Youth Crime Crisis and have fewer victims in Queensland,” he said.

The announcement comes as Cairns residents staged a mass rally in the city following a sickening home invasion in Manunda where a woman was allegedly dragged from her bed and raped while her partner was held at knifepoint.

Last week 55 police recruits graduated in Townsville with many expected to be deployed to Cairns and other regional areas later this week.

Crime was a key topic raised at Queensland community cabinet held in Cairns on Sunday afternoon.

Originally published as Reduce, deter, disrupt: LNP announce more funding to keep police on patrol in bid to lower Queensland crime rates