Demand for police increase as nationwide crime rates spike

Meet the Gold Coast’s newest police recruits. And one of them already has a take on the youth crime fight. See the details.

ONE of the city’s newest police officers hopes some fresh blood in the force can help bridge the gap with the Gold Coast’s kiddie crims.

First-year constable Ryan Graham was one of six officers inducted into the police service last week, with 89 recruits sworn in across Queensland.

Ryan Graham, first year constable Queensland Police.

The new officers will come as welcome news for fed-up residents as Queensland continues to battle a youth crime epidemic.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced a slew of law reforms in December last year targeting youth crime including measures to ensure “extreme high visibility police patrols”.

First year constables Queensland Police.

The reforms were announced after two 17-year olds were charged with the murder of Emma Lovell from Brisbane’s northside, who was stabbed in the chest during the Boxing Day home invasion.

The Gold Coast has faced its own challenges with youth crime, ranging from violent assaults, car thefts and home invasions.

Constable Graham said he hoped the addition of newer, younger police officers would help increase youth crime intervention.

“I hope I can connect with them on a more intimate level because I’m closer to their age, so hopefully I can make a bit more of a difference that way,” he said.

Const. Graham, who grew up in northern NSW and previously served in both the Australian Defence Force and Australian Border Force, said he hoped to bring strong leadership, mateship and good work ethic to the police service.

Ryan Graham during his time in the Australian Defence Force.

“I want to make a difference and help people, whether that difference is something extremely small or something on a bigger scale – I’m happy to make a difference to somebody’s day to day life,” he said.

Queensland has also been grappling with a shortage of officers that has left some Gold Coast stations understaffed for months.

Gold Coast District Chief Superintendent Craig Hanlon said working to make up for the shortage will be one of the biggest challenges for the city’s six recruits.

“(There are) significant increases in demand for policing across the Gold Coast,” he said.

“Crime generally across all of Queensland and Australia is increasing so there’s a lot of challenges for these new officers.

“Six doesn’t seem like a lot of officers, but we’re trying to recruit more people as law enforcement across the whole of Australia. It is difficult but we’re working to make sure that we make the government’s selection commitments.”

Const. Sara Payne represents the changing face of the Queensland Police Service recruitment drive, having left a 22-year career as an emergency nurse for law enforcement.

Sara Payne and Ryan Graham, first year constable Queensland Police.

“It was just time for a challenge and QPS seemed like the right place to go to transition my skills and into a more challenging and diverse career,” she said.

“My skills as an emergency nurse really translate to policing and it just seemed like a natural pathway.”

Constable Payne also noted that her background in healthcare meant that she was also better able to approach her new role with greater empathy.

“But it’s all new to us here, so stepping into your first domestic violence or road traffic crash...we’ve got to learn to cope with that,” she said.

“So it’s all very daunting but it’s also exciting.”