‘That’s a loss’: Locals react to shut down of live-in police beats
Neighbourhood police beats are quietly being phased out across Cairns with some being returned to the private real estate market and others languishing in a neglected state.
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Neighbourhood police beats are quietly being phased out across Cairns with some being returned to the private real estate market and others languishing in a neglected state.
The Holloways Beach police beat on Jacaranda St has been without a live-in officer since March 2020 and according to property records the house was sold to a private buyer in late 2021.
Suburban police beats installed live-in officers and their family at neighbourhood houses to provide a place where local community members can talk with police and report local crimes.
The only three remaining police beats in Cairns will operate from Cairns Central, Cairns City and Earlville Shopping Town.
Last November the first of three mobile police beats was launched in the Far North to deliver a new highly visible crime deterrent.
In a statement a Queensland Police spokesman said the service continued to evaluate its service delivery models, including existing residential and police beat locations.
“Any transition of existing facilities to mobile police beats is undertaken after extensive evaluation and consultation with the primary focus on ensuring we deliver modern, mobile and flexible policing options to meet strategic, operational priorities and local community needs,” the spokesman said.
“Modern day policing is about having agility in service delivery. With the advent of technology, the focus is on having officers mobile on our streets and ready to respond at all times.”
But White Rock local Jeff Rufino flagged limitations of mobile police beats including accessibility during the day for working professionals.
He said it was disappointing for the White Rock community to lose their local neighbourhood police officer.
“Constable Paul would give us updates about crime in our area and we are now going to lose that,” he said.
“That’s a loss, and you are going to lose that feeling of security that comes with having an officer living in the neighbourhood.”
It’s understood the Leftwich St house in White Rock will be returned to the private rental market along with Queensland Police beats at Shang St, Mooroobool and Enmore St, Manoora.
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Originally published as ‘That’s a loss’: Locals react to shut down of live-in police beats
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