Townsville MP’s share how new Queensland Police State Flying Squad will help city’s crime

A new team of 58 officers, the largest rapid-response unit in QPS history, will be deployed across the state to target the worst juvenile and adult offender hotspots, with a strong focus on Townsville.

Townsville MP Adam Baillie with Thuringowa MP Natalie Marr and Mundingburra MP Janelle Poole speak at a press conference on January 13. Picture: Nikita McGuire

A specialised State Flying Squad of 58 police officers will soon be deployed in crime hotspots of Queensland at a moment’s notice, with Townsville suburbs set to benefit from more ‘eyes in the sky’.

Premier David Crisafulli and Police Minister Dan Purdie announced $32.4 million in funding over five years will go towards the fly-in fly-out crack team to bolster the government’s Making Queenslander Safer laws where it’s needed most.

The Queensland State Flying Squad consists of 17 officers who are currently linked to statewide surge police operations including Operation Whiskey Legion and Taskforce Guardian, with the funding to allow the squad to add an additional 41 full-time staff.

Townsville District Officer Chief Superintendent Mr Graeme Paine speaks at a press conference on January 13. Picture: Nikita McGuire

Speaking on Monday, Townsville District Officer Chief Superintendent Graeme Paine said it was “a positive day” for police in the area.

“From what we experience here in Townsville these types of initiatives are really, really important and they deliver some real benefits to the community,” he said.

“Those two surge policing operations, they have had a big impact here in Townsville.

Taskforce Guardian has deployed more to Townsville than any other area of Queensland during its operation.”

Mr Paine said officers involved in the operations now moving into a full-time capacity was a positive step.

“Given the type of crime we experience in Townsville, this is something that is really positive that we will continue to use in the future,” he said.

He said an emerging approach from Queensland Police was a “borderless” way of looking at the use of resources for a statewide benefit.

Townsville MP Adam Baillie said the region would be one of the first to receive support from the squad.

Mundingburra MP Janelle Poole, with Thuringowa MP Natalie Marr and Townsville MP Adam Baillie. Picture: Nikita McGuire

“This just shows how much we value and appreciate our frontline workers,” he said.

In speaking with the Premier and Police Minister over the weekend, Mr Baillie said he made sure to “make it clear” he expected resources to come to Townsville as a top priority.

“It will assist our officers in getting control of the recent state of crime that we have seen in our community and continue to do so going forward,” Mr Baillie said.

“No longer will our community be ignored in our voices and pleas for help when it comes to crime.”

A former police officer for more than 20 years, Mundingburra MP Janelle Poole said she knew what the new flying squad meant for officers on the ground.

“To show our commitment to our men and women in blue and our commitment to community safety is paramount,” she said.

Thuringowa MP Natalie Marr said regional Queensland was the first to call out the youth crime crisis, saying more police on the ground meant putting victims first.

“Our police in Townsville are doing a great job but we have to make sure we give them the resources to help crime as it occurs,” she said.

“We are not taking staff away from their normal jobs around Queensland to fix an issue, this is permanent, these are staff that are resources specifically for this so that is extra police on the ground …”

Originally published as Townsville MP’s share how new Queensland Police State Flying Squad will help city’s crime