Police Minister Mark Ryan gives no indication of extra funding for scrapped overtime bail check shifts

Prolific juvenile offenders are free to roam and wreak havoc across Townsville without dedicated bail curfew check shifts, a North Queensland MP says.

PROLIFIC juvenile offenders are free to roam and wreak havoc across Townsville without dedicated bail curfew check shifts, a North Queensland MP says.

The police overtime shifts were used to check up on the recidivist juveniles out on bail, but they were scrapped last week after the funding pool dried up.

Police Minister Mark Ryan did not indicate whether any more cash would be thrown Townsville’s way, saying the district was in charge of how they spent their funding.

Mount Isa Tactical Crime Squad members in Townsville doing street checks on people in Townsville. Picture: Zak Simmonds

Opposition spokesman for Police Dale Last said he was “deeply concerned” to hear the daily shifts had been cut.

“We know many of these juveniles are prolific recidivist offenders and without the bail curfew checks they are free to roam 24/7 throughout our community,” Mr Last said.

“Townsville residents deserve to know why this has happened … especially over the Christmas period.”

Dale Last said juveniles would roam free across the city without overtime shifts dedicated to bail checks.

The three-hour daily shifts were introduced earlier this year to crack down on juvenile bail conditions.

Two officers could complete about 25 checks in the short time frame to ensure the most high-risk youths were behaving and keeping to their bail conditions.

But the shifts were binned last week after allocated funding ran out.

Townsville District Chief Superintendent Craig Hanlon said the bail checks had been transferred into the laps of general duties officers.

“We’ve got over 720 police in the district, we work 24/7, 365 days a year,” Supt Hanlon said.

“There will be no reduction in the number of people we check or the number of checks we do. It’s just transitioning into our core business.”

Police Minister Mark Ryan said the government had given Queensland Police Service a record $2.89 billion of funding this year, but senior police in each district were in charge of how their money was spent.

Queensland Police Minister Mark Ryan said police districts are in charge of how they spend their funding. Picture: Zak Simmonds

Mr Ryan did not advise how much money was allocated for the overtime shifts or whether more funding would be given out to reinstate them.

“I am advised that all curfew checks will continue to be conducted,” Mr Ryan said.

“The allocation of funding and resources provided to police is an operational matter for senior police in each Police District across the state, including Townsville.

“Townsville Police further advise they take these matters very seriously and it would be irresponsible to suggest that these curfew checks would not happen.”

Originally published as Police Minister Mark Ryan gives no indication of extra funding for scrapped overtime bail check shifts