Gold Coast’s top cop concedes there are staffing issues across the city but vows to fix them

The number of cops on the beat has dropped to a dangerous low with officers leaving the force and taking extended leave. SEE WHY

South Eastern Police Region Assistant Commissioner Brian Swan has fronted the media over Gold Coast staffing crisis. Picture: Nigel Hallett

The Gold Coast’s top cop has lifted the lid on the punishing workload faced by officers as the force struggles with burnout amid a host of unfilled vacancies and officers walking off the job.

South Eastern Region Assistant Commissioner Brian Swan fronted the media in a tense press conference following exclusive Bulletin reports about the lack of frontline officers at the city’s stations.

“We are experiencing high levels of sick leave long-term and short-term,” he said.

South Eastern Police Region Assistant Commissioner Brian Swan admits police are under pressure. Picture: Nigel Hallett

“The officers in charge are very good at working together across their various stations and trying to support each other until we can come up with a longer term solution.”

The Assistant Commissioner said a review is under way into how the district can better manage its workload and limited number of officers.

“Sometimes our demand does really challenge us. That’s why we just be as flexible as we can to meet that demand when and where it pops up. At some point in time a police station counter may not be open”.

Staff at Southport Police Station have been forced to close the doors at times due to staff shortage. Picture: Jerad Williams

The number of officers across the Gold Coast has hit a new low, with the city’s busiest station sometimes forced to close the doors because there is no one available to cover the front counter.

Several officers at Southport have walked off the job on stress leave and some nights there are less than a handful of police to cover the region.

Recently, a domestic violence victim claims she had to leave the station after waiting four hours to speak with an officer.

Runaway Bay Police station is also struggling to fill the roster, with one officer sometimes left to cover the area alone between 10pm and 6am.

The Bulletin recently revealed the number of cops working on the Southern Gold Coast has fallen to its lowest level in more than 13 years after six police positions were secretly cut.

Police Minister Mark Ryan has maintained the allocation of police resources is independent in response to the staffing crisis. Picture: John Gass

When asked about the dire staffing situation, Police Minister Mark Ryan has repeatedly sidestepped resourcing issues as independent decisions made by the commissioner and the service.

“Decisions about how police resources are allocated are not made by politicians, and instead are made by the experts – the Queensland Police Service” he said.

However, the Gold Coast’s top cop has revealed that isn’t the case.

“Each district was allocated a certain number of growth positions by government some time ago,” Assistant Commissioner Swan said.

“Each district took a similar approach looking at demand, looking at where the gaps were and looking at the priority where we put those positions”.

The Queensland Police Service media unit later contacted the Bulletin to clarify Assistant Commissioner Swan’s comments, saying the state government funds a limited number of new officers and the service decides where they are allocated.

Around 120 extra police positions funded by the government have been allocated to the Gold Coast over the last eight years.