Top cop says Gold Coast teens can expect to be ‘wanded’ under state’s new laws

New laws introduced to parliament will give police powers to use metal detectors on the Gold Coast without reason and frisk people without a warrant.

Queensland’s top cop has put young nightclubbers on notice and says they can expect to be “wanded” as part of a crackdown on youths carrying knives in the Gold Coast nightclub precinct.

New laws were introduced into parliament on Thursday under a raft of youth justice reforms that would give Gold Coast police enhanced powers.

The laws are likely to come into effect in April, and that’s when Gold Coast Police will have the power to use metal detectors to target knife crime as part of a new trial.

If a person refuses to have a metal detector waved over them, then police will have the power to frisk them without requiring a warrant.

Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll says teens on the Gold Coast can expect to be ‘wanded’ when new laws to tackle youth crime are eventually passed in parliament. Picture: Tara Croser

Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll said anyone out on the glitter strip could expect to be “wanded” when the trial starts.

“We are seeing a trend across the board, young children as young as 13 and 14 carrying knives in public places,” Ms Carroll told 4BC.

“This is telling young people, if you come in this space, expect to be wanded.

“We are looking forward to trialling this, and I think it will be hugely successful and really provide a feeling of safety when you go into a public place.”

Just last week a 14-year-old boy was charged over the stabbing of another boy at a Gold Coast train station, while on February 8 an 18-year-old man was charged over the stabbing of a 31-year-old man at Southport.

A concerning trend in the number of youths carrying knives on the Gold Coast led police to request powers to search people, Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll said.

Ms Carroll said there had been “tragic” knife-related deaths, and these powers will go a long way to addressing the concerning trend of young people carrying knives.

“There have been tragic, tragic deaths, where young children are carrying knives and killing each other,” she said.

“This gives us a form of defence and really is saying to the public that if you come into a safe night precinct you can expect that you may be wanded, and we don’t need suspicion to do that.”

She said Victorian police already had the power to use metal detectors in this manner, and it was one of several measures Queensland police had asked the government to introduce.

Under the state government’s package of youth justice reforms, to target hardcore youth criminals who repeatedly offend, GPS trackers can be fitted to youths who have committed “prescribed” indictable offences.

Police Minister Mark Ryan says 10 per cent of wayward youths commit almost half of the crimes in the state. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

There is also a presumption against bail for serious indictable offences, such as breaking and entering while on bail, and the strengthening of anti-hooning laws.

Police Minister Mark Ryan said the government was acting decisively.

“This is about targeting the hardcore repeat offenders – those 10 per cent of youth offenders who are frequently putting the community at risk,” he said.

“Ten per cent of all youth offenders account for 48 per cent of all youth crime.

“It is this group we will target with all the legislative and frontline strategies at our disposal.”

Originally published as Top cop says Gold Coast teens can expect to be ‘wanded’ under state’s new laws