Officers are walking off the job as the staffing crisis at Southport becomes dangerous

Police have unveiled just how many cops are working on Friday afternoon and night - citywide - in response to claims stressed police are walking off the job at one station. See how many

Southport Police Station. Picture: Jerad Williams

The city’s busiest police station is operating with less than a handful of officers on weeknights amid a major staffing emergency.

As little as four police are rostered to cover Southport one of the busiest areas in the state, with the 24 hours station left with no choice but to close the doors on some nights because no one is available to cover the front counter.

Southport station forced to close the doors at night with no officers to staff the front counter. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ Richard Gosling

The staffing issues at the station have been simmering for months and deteriorated even further on Friday morning. According to whistleblowers multiple officers have effectively walked off the job and have taken six weeks stress leave, amid the mounting pressure on the remaining workforce.

“They cannot handle the intense pressure everyone is under. It is having a devastating impact on their mental health and their families,” the whistleblower said.

“It is hard for them and it’s past the point of turning this around quickly”.

Police Minister Mark Ryan refuses to reveal the number of officers rostered at Southport station.

Queensland Police Service responded to questions about the staffing issues, revealing the Gold Coast district on Friday afternoon and night had 192 staff rostered for duty between Frdiay 2pm, to Saturday 6am.

“Police management on the Gold Coast have not issued and are not aware of an email distributed regarding alternative operational procedures,” the QPS statement said in relation to abnormal station closures.

On extended leave, the QPS statement said: “Southport had two officers report sick for duty this morning. Both officers were rostered as beat officers for a nearby shopping centre. At this point there have been no police officers from Southport advise of accessing long term sick leave today.

“Runaway Bay and Southport form the Central Patrol Group. Rostering for the Patrol Group draws resources from both stations to provide a policing response to support the Patrol Group and District as a whole. The patrol group manages its roster to meet demand.

“For example, more officers rostered on night work on a Friday/Saturday night as opposed to a Monday night. Further to this the Gold Coast district has 192 officers rostered for duty for the afternoon and night shift today (Friday 2pm to Saturday 6am).

“These officers can be moved to where needed as demand grows in certain areas. The Gold Coast Police Senior Management have been undertaking a wide and thorough review regarding service delivery to see if it can be better managed across the district.

“This review is looking at rostering practices overlayed with current and future demand predictions.”

It comes as the Police Minister Mark Ryan has refused to reveal in state parliament how many of the 100 officers at Southport are currently working. Minister Ryan said revealing the number “has the potential to compromise officer safety”.

Fronting the media on Thursday, Gold Coast Acting Chief Superintendent Geoff Sheldon reiterated the same concerns.

“If I told you that there was only three police working between midnight and eight next Thursday, when would you choose to go and do an armed robbery?” he said.

However, the question asked by Southport MP Rob Molhoek did not ask for specific staffing arrangements, but how many officers are currently on leave, extended leave and what number of staff are left to fill the roster. This information has been made publicly available and provided to parliament many times before over more than two decades. Mr Molhoek labelled the accused the State Government and minister of cover-up.

The Bulletin revealed early in the week the number of funded police position at Southport has also been cut. There were 101 approved positions at the station in 2020 but one officer role has secretly been cut.