New police hub at Arundel to improve response times on northern Gold Coast

Top brass are promising improved police response times on the Gold Coast after it was announced a massive new police hub will be open within months.

A MAJOR new Gold Coast police hub is a step closer with top brass promising it will mean quicker crime-fighting for the northern Gold Coast.

Industrial land on Newheath Dr in Arundel was snapped up and earmarked for the multimillion-dollar building more than a year ago, with the state government now fast-tracking work on the ground to ensure the facility is open by January.

Queensland Police Minister Mark Ryan announced this morning that the project was still on track to be completed on time, with building likely to start as early as May.

“There will be a rapid build process and the facility will be built, weather permitting, by December this year and police will be in this facility in January 2020,” he said.

More than 90 officers will begin to use the new hub immediately when it opens, with up to 200 likely to use the facility in years to come.

The building will house a number of specialised units including the Gold Coast’s Rapid Action Patrol elite mobile squad, which will be pulled back from Coomera and Varsity Lakes.

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It is hoped the new police hub will be operational by January.

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Mr Ryan said it was vital the hub was in a central location to canvas the entire city.

“It is close to major highway arterial roads allowing our police to get in and out quickly and respond to crime more quickly than currently,” he said.

Member for Gaven Meaghan Scanlon welcomed the move and said the relocation of police to Arundel would mean police response times for locals.

“It means police are able to respond to crimes more quickly in areas like Pacific Pines and particularly the northern Gold Coast,” she said.

Police Commissioner Ian Stewart said the facility would work as a base for officers to collect their gear and hit the road, rather than working from the facility.

“Primarily their job won’t be here in this building, it will be out there on the streets of Gold Coast – from Coolangatta all the way up to Logan basically,” he said.

“The community doesn’t want police sitting in police stations, the community wants (them) on the street where they are needed.

“People keep talking about (police) numbers but it’s the deployment of those officers to central crime issues – that is what the future of policing is all about.

“The game changer for us is technology – they are walking police stations now, they have the information they need, the recording devices, the equipment to keep them and the community safe, so it’s not about buildings anymore, even though it’s wonderful to get this base.”