Police pursuit green light under LNP Government as it scraps no chase policy
A BAN on police chases introduced for public safety could be scrapped if the LNP is elected, with the Opposition saying GoldCoast cops could soon be chasing criminals and hoons on the highway again.
Gold Coast
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GOLD Coast cops could soon be chasing criminals and hoons on the highway again.
The LNP today announced it would trial a new police pursuit policy which could overturn the current “no chase” directive to officers.
Coast cops are reluctant to chase crooks on the city’s roads for fear they will be demoted or charged with dangerous driving.
LNP Leader Tim Nicholls said the new police pursuit policy formed part of its $25.9 million North Queensland Crime Action Plan.
“The argument is fairly simple — if we trust police to use discretion when using lethal force then we should trust them to be able to pursue an offender,” Mr Nicholls said.
“It has got to a ridiculous stage where offenders are doing burnouts in the police station car park and exploiting the current laws knowing that the police can’t and won’t pursue them.”
The LNP in Government will trial a new police pursuit policy in Townsville targeting car theft and hooning offences.
Party insiders said the findings would also consider and impact on the Coast which confronts a similar crime wave.
The Bulletin in a series of reports has revealed the frustration of Coast police about the no pursuit policy and support by the Queensland Police Union for it to be scrapped.
Latest data which shows only 12 police pursuits in the past 12 months in the Coast region, down from 14 a year ago.
By comparison, 24 police pursuits occurred in the Ipswich district and 19 were recorded in South Brisbane.
Police sources suggested the Coast region had fewer car chases following an incident which led to Senior Sergeant Chris Hurley and Senior Constable Barry Wellington being charged with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.
The two officers were suspended after they allegedly ran a stolen car off the road in 2015 in a bid to catch suspects involved in armed robberies.
“I know for a fact that it frustrates our frontline police no end — we can’t expect our police to do their jobs if we send them out on the streets with one hand tied behind their back,” Mr Nicholls said.
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