David Crisafulli tells police he will ‘have their back’, says not enough staff at stations
Opposition leader David Crisafulli has made a promise to police on the Gold Coast, while making a big claim about issues they are currently facing.
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Opposition leader David Crisafulli has claimed the majority of police stations on the Gold Coast are operating “way below capacity”, with one often left with half its positions unfilled.
Mr Crisafulli praised the work of officers, saying they were “wonderful people” doing an excellent job, but said they did not have the staff they needed.
“I’ll use the example of the station that’s most relevant to my area, which is the Runaway Bay station,” Mr Crisafulli said.
“It’s a 24-officer station. It has been for a long, long time. It is extremely regular for there to be more than half of those positions unfilled, extremely regular. I find that completely and utterly abhorrent - and so do my residents.
“All of the stations on the Coast at the moment aren’t operating at capacity, but the vast majority are way below capacity.”
The claims were disputed by senior police sources, who told the Bulletin that numbers were not as low as claimed.
Mr Crisafulli, the member for Broadwater in the north of the city, also said a lack of police visibility on the streets had led to residents “feeling unsafe”.
“I speak to residents in Paradise Point. The era where you saw the police presence, and the comfort that comes with that, understandably for them (police), they’re not able to do that as much any more. The lack of visibility leads to a feeling of not being safe,” he said.
Asked about police numbers on a visit to the Gold Coast in late May, Police Minister Mark Ryan said recruitment was proving challenging across Australia but said there were record numbers going through the police academy.
“We’ve turned the corner on recruitment now. The Queensland Police Service leads the nation. We’re now seeing positive growth through the efforts of the academy,” he said.
But Mr Crisafulli said police were leaving faster than they could be replaced.
“The government’s own figures show that. Before the last election they promised 1450 extra full time equivalent police officers. Their own numbers, as of today, is more than 1500 short of what that promise is. So there is less than when they made that promise.
“In real terms there is 1500 officers less than what we need, on the government’s own projections.”
Mr Crisafulli promised the LNP would improve police morale, and increase retention rates, by strengthening laws if it won government in October.
“(We will give) police the laws they need to do their job, and give them a minister who understands them and they know will have their back,” he said.
“What we’re saying to police is we respect you, we value you, we don’t want you to leave.
And if government changes in October you will have the resources and the laws to do your job.”
VICTIM NUMBERS THE ‘BAROMETER’
Mr Crisafulli said lowering the number of crime victims will be the “barometer’ by which any future LNP government is judged.
Australian Bureau of Statistics data last month revealed Queensland was the nation’s crime capital, with 289,000 victims in 2023.
Speaking at Nerang on the Gold Coast where he met with crime victims, Mr Crisafulli said he expected to be “held accountable” by his ability to lower that number if he won power.
“Queensland has more victims of crime than anywhere else, including Victoria and NSW, despite our population being much smaller,” Mr Crisafulli said.
“We are ground zero. Queensland is ground zero when it comes to a state’s indignation, when it comes to youth crime, and it’s victim numbers that drive me. And we will lower (those numbers). There will be less victims. That is the barometer by which we will be held accountable if we get the opportunity to govern.”
Previous comments by Mr Crisafulli that he would lower the victim numbers had been met with derision by the state government, with Premier Steven Miles suggesting it would be achieved by excluding domestic violence victims from the numbers.
Mr Crisafulli said he was not using “weasel words” and victim numbers “would go down”.
“I hope that in saying that people can see that I’m being fair dinkum. I’m not using weasel words,” he said. “ … The government keeps on trying to change how we should quantify youth crime. In the end, if you are a victim of youth crime, you’re a victim.
“And it’s victim numbers that have to go down and it’s victim numbers that will go down.”
Speaking alongside Mr Crisafulli at a venue near Meaghan Scanlon’s Nerang office, LNP candidate for Gaven Bianca Stone said crime was the chief issue being raised on doorsteps.
“I’ve been out here talking to many, many people over the past few weeks. The number one issues is crime in this area,” Ms Stone said.
“Including for a woman who had her home invaded this week. In broad daylight a mum had teenagers wearing balaclavas come into her home.
“She is traumatised.”
Candidate for Burleigh Hermann Vorster said the issue was also being raised with him constantly in his area.
“I’ve knocked on thousands of doors and people are frustrated, they’re angry, but they’re also very concerned about this generation of young offenders. They want to make sure that these kids are dealt with properly, that justice is done, but that lives are also put back on track,” Mr Vorster said.
“They’re demanding a change to the way that kids are dealt with after they leave detention and that’s precisely what we’re putting on the table if the government changes in October.”
SECOND MOBILE POLICE BEAT VAN ARRIVES ON GOLD COAST - WITH THIRD ON THE WAY
Police on the Gold Coast have taken delivery of their second mobile Police Beat Unit – with a third on the way.
Members of the public will be able to request their area is visited by the Beats, which allow officers to perform many functions which would normally require them to return to a station.
“It gives us a bit more flexibility,” Acting Chief Superintendent Peter Miles said.
“The fact that it’s a police establishment gives us the ability to bail from the police beat. We can take compliant offenders back to the police beat. We don’t have to go back to the station. We can do all our work on site.
“It gives us the agility to move around the districts much easier.”
Acting Chief Supt Miles said two of the beats would be based in Coomera and Robina, while the third would move around the centre of the police district.
Police will also be able to perform drink and drug testing normally conducted at stations from the facilities, which would be available 24/7.
“It gives us that presence, that ability for the public to see police out and about as well,” he said.
The initiative comes in the wake of Bulletin reports that traders in Burleigh were demanding a police beat in their area.
Housing Minister and Gaven MP Meaghan Scanlon said the new facilities would give police greater presence in the community.
“Bringing these Beats to local communities means we have high visibility police, but it also means locals can touch base with local police about how they can prevent crime from occurring,” she said.
“This is a great initiative to ensure we can have a high visibility police presence in our community and this is one of many measures as part of our comprehensive, evidence-based community safety plan.
“We know that our population is growing and growing and making sure that we boost our frontline is really critical. So beats like this locally are really important to provide that confidence to the community.
“This process will work so that local members of the community can nominate for the beat to come into their community, which I think is a great idea to make sure that people really feel like they’re getting the support that they need from local police, so I look forward to the success of this program.”
Originally published as David Crisafulli tells police he will ‘have their back’, says not enough staff at stations
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