Police respond as Burleigh, Coolangatta night spots become magnet for people banned from Safe Night Precincts

Police are deploying extra resources to patrol southern Gold Coast entertainment precincts on Friday and Saturday nights to target particular individuals. See who they are after

A team of police officers have been deployed to patrol southern Gold Coast night spots which have become a magnet for people banned from Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach.

Eight officers have been tasked with patrolling night-life venues from Burleigh down to Coolangatta on Friday and Saturday nights after police recorded a surge in demand.

Chief Superintendent Craig Hanlon said part of the problem had come from people banned from the Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach Safe Night Precincts instead heading to venues in bustling beachside suburbs such as Burleigh.

Chief Superintendent Craig Hanlon at Mudgeeraba Police Station on Monday. Picture: Keith Woods.

James Street in Burleigh Heads. Picture: Glenn Campbell.

“Late last year we identified that there was an increase in people attending the entertainment precincts from Burleigh down to Coolangatta. From that we did a bit of research and analysis, and what we did only in the last couple of months is we’ve actually deployed eight police to patrol the entertainment precincts from Burleigh down to Coolangatta every Friday and Saturday night,” he said.

“That’s on top of what we normally do on a Friday and Saturday night to address calls for service.

“But we’ve got those officers dedicated to looking at those entertainment precincts in and around those licenced premises.

“We’re seeing people who may have had banning notices from Surfers or Broadbeach Safe Night Precincts heading down there, so we’re doing that Friday and Saturday night.”

The move comes as business owners and residents in Burleigh call for a greater police presence in the area.

In just the last month the Bulletin has reported:

* How women working in the area of the James St shopping precinct are afraid to walk to their cars at night.

* How small business owners have repeatedly been targeted by gangs of juvenile offenders.

* How groups of drug affected people had caused havoc by chasing and abusing staff and customers of James St stores.

The mayhem has led to calls for a permanent police beat to be established in central Burleigh.

The Bulletin understands the issues raised at Burleigh have been included in an ongoing police review of how best to deploy resources on the Gold Coast.

However Chief Supt Hanlon said despite sending extra resources to the area, a permanent police beat was not currently on the cards for Burleigh.

“Four walls and a police station don’t keep people safe, it’s the police officers themselves,” he said.

“We’ve got a strategy making sure police are patrolling all of the Gold Coast from Coolangatta up to Coomera, and we’ll be there when people need us.

“We don’t see the point at the moment in putting a police station in Burleigh.”

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