Shocking truth about Gold Coast policing revealed in leaked budget email

The Gold Coast is facing a crime wave. How the Government is responding in terms of budget back-up will shock you.

THE Gold Coast police budget is about to be cut with some of the money to be funnelled to nearby Logan.

Senior police, including officers-in-charge of stations and special squads, have been sent an email asking them to prepare a draft budget for 2018-19.

In the email a senior manager wrote: “As previously discussed there will be a reduction in the overall budget allocated to SER (South-East Region).

Police Commissioner Ian Stewart and Police Minister Mark Ryan during Estimates hearings at State Parliament. PHOTO AAP/TIM MARSDEN.

“In addition to this reduction spending will be allocated from the Gold Coast District to the Logan District, to better align budgets with actual expenditure over the previous three years.”

A police source said the budget cuts would affect officers who received penalty rates and those in the dog squad and water police working on weekends.

GOLD COAST POLICE LOSE DIRECTION WITHOUT LEADER

Police Minister Mark Ryan has declined to detail the amount of the cuts, why the budget had been reduced and how Logan could be getting more funding when the Glitter Strip was Queensland’s tourism hot spot and its reputation needed protecting.

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In late 2016 during reporting of the Grim Blue Line series, Mr Ryan told the Bulletin his door was open and the commissioner only needed to ask to get more resources on the Coast.

In a statement yesterday, Mr Ryan said: “The Palaszczuk Government has supported the Queensland Police Service with a budget of approximately $2.3 billion dollars this financial year.

“In accordance with the law and the Fitzgerald Inquiry recommendations, it is a matter for the Police Commissioner as to how that budget is allocated across Queensland.

“Decisions about the allocation of resources are made by the Police Commissioner free of interference from politicians, just as they should be.”

Opposition leader Deb Frecklington said Labor’s savage cuts to frontline police services was putting community safety at risk.

LNP leader Deb Frecklington at Southport - Labor’s cuts put the community at risk. Picture Glenn Hampson

“We are in the midst of a massive crime wave, including youth gangs who are out of control and an increase of drugs being peddled to our kids.

“This is clearly a broken election commitment from Labor and shows their contempt for residents on the Gold Coast and in Logan,” she said.

LNP police spokesman Trevor Watts said the budget cuts provided more evidence of why the Premier needed to sack her embattled Police Minister.

Mr Ryan said a new police facility was being built at Arundel, Water Police had received two new jet skis and funding has been provided for four new domestic violence officers.

The Coast had more than 1000 police supported by various squads, he said.

In July, the LNP said police numbers were going backwards with almost 100 less cops on the Coast as the city faced an ice epidemic, resurgence of bikies and street crime linked to youth gangs.