The Police beat at the state’s largest shopping centre is among secret cuts to the frontline

The state’s largest shopping centre has been left without a dedicated police presence, with centre staff not told about the secret closure. FIND OUT THE DETAILS

Three police stations including one at the state’s largest shopping centre have been secretly shut down across the Gold Coast.

The shopfronts at Robina Town Centre and Pacific Fair are still listed as open on the Queensland Police Service website, but the Bulletin can reveal they were secretly closed more than 15 months ago.

Signage at both locations have been removed and the space filled with new businesses.

However, maps at Pacific Fair, Queensland’s biggest retail precinct, still have the police station listed and staff at the concierge desk have not officially been told the officers were moved out.

The former Broadbeach Police Beat Shopfront was located near Myer at Pacific Fair.

Police sources say it was an “unpopular decision” within the force, which was protested by local officers. But they were told funding needed to be ‘prioritised elsewhere’.

“The shopping centres were grateful to have us there with the amount of shoplifting and disorderly behaviour jobs we would get called to and could be there in seconds” one officer said.

“They couldn’t have picked a worse time to close them. A security guard was hacked with a meat cleaver at a shopping centre, if that doesn’t warrant a police presence what does?”

Another officer claims they were not told of the closure until it had occurred.

“I was shocked. I got told about the funding not being available and then exactly on the 1st July last year they closed the doors” the officer said.

“I mean how blatant is that? The beginning of a new financial year and they close the stations”.

Maps and signage at Pacific Fair still show the Police Beat as open.

A Queensland Police Service spokesman said the closures were part the move towards an “agile and borderless” service where officers were no longer restricted to one location.

“Police Beat Shopfronts at Broadbeach, Southport, Robina are now serviced as part of the roster from the responsible police stations. Based on intelligence information officers are rostered on various shifts throughout the day” they said.

“The Mobile Police Beat is also utilised at various times at the shopping centres and is a forward facing highly visible police facility”.

The signs have been taken down from the Police Beat at Robina Town Centre and the building is vacant.

Robina-based councillor Hermann Vorster has questioned whether mobile police beats are working after the closure of the permanent police beat in his shopping town precinct.

“Falling police numbers and weaker laws mean many locals feel they no longer have access to justice,” he said.

“Permanent Police Beats sent a powerful message that help was available, and that it was okay for everyday locals to reach out for advice.

“Many people grieved over the closure of the Robina Police Beat – and they worry it is a sign the State is under resourcing our hardworking Queensland Police Service.”

A strong advocate to crackdown on youth crime in his council division, Cr Vorster questioned operational advantages with mobile police beats.

“Newer ‘Mobile Police Beats’ sound great in theory – but their locations are unpredictable and someone fleeing violence may not know where to go to find one,” he said.

“My question is – how many permanent Police Beats have closed and how many mobile Police Beats have taken their place on the Gold Coast.

“My gut feeling is we’re going backwards, and that means the state must change its direction.”

City councillor Hermann Vorster says the decision to close the Robina station has caused community angst.

A Pacific Fair stakeholder upset by the closure of the police beat said customers were told if they were victims of a serious crime they should “report to the police counter at Broadbeach (station)”.

“Security staffers are frustrated due to the lack of powers of arrest and search,” the stakeholder said.

“They’ve been told to release the offender, get their identification and report to police.

“The problems are being exacerbated due to the late night trade (at Pacific Fair) through to midnight.

“There is evidence of kids staying in disabled toilets and causing damage. In the food court, they are taking food off the tables, grabbing it and running.”

Some security guards have refused to return to work forcing management to hire outsiders. They soon left when aware of their limited powers to detain youths.