Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll set to return to Toowoomba to tackle youth crime

Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll has confirmed she will return to Toowoomba as a new prevention program is announced to tackle youth crime, as protesters take to the street to demand immediate action and results.

Toowoomba mayor Geoff McDonald has backed community calls for a second community crime forum that’s “focused on outcomes” six months on from a town meeting that became unruly in response to inaction from the Queensland government on juvenile justice.

Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll has confirmed she will return to Toowoomba as the statewide community calls for immediate action and results to tackle youth crime offending.

Six months ago the Commissioner, along with Police Minister Mark Ryan and then Children and Youth Justice Minister Leanne Linard, attended a community safety forum at the Empire Theatre in February following the February 6 fatal attack on Robert Brown.

The sold out February community forum quickly went off script with frustrated and angry residents scolding the ministers for their lack of action on the issue.

Toowoomba mayor Geoff McDonald backed community calls for a second community crime forum Picture: Kevin Farmer

Mayor McDonald pointed to the millions of dollars of programs that have been rolled out in recent months and said he firmly believed the frustration shown at the forum helped send a message to Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and her ministers.

“People were rightly angry – let’s make sure this next visit is targeted and represents a broad group of people,” he said.

Mr McDonald said he would like to see the next visit and forum recorded to ensure accountability and transparency and for it to create a “more constructive conversation both ways”.

A Queensland Police spokesman said the Commissioner has been regularly briefed on what was occurring in the Toowoomba and Darling Downs region since the forum was held.

“The Commissioner, along with other members of the QPS Executive Leadership Team, plan to travel to Toowoomba in early October where they will spend several days in the area,” he said.

“Since the forum was held, the QPS has launched a new Youth Co-Responder Team, announced the implementation of Project Booyah, and announced plans to upgrade the local PCYC facilities.”

He said local police on the ground were dedicated to ensuring the communities’ safety and reducing crime.

“The district also recently recorded a decrease in property crime categories including unlawful use of motor vehicles,” he said.

“Local police have also employed a range of proactive and disruptive crime reduction strategies such as conducting extreme high visibility patrols as part of Operation Victor Unison where more than 420 offenders have been arrested on 890 charges.”

The announcement comes as a 100-plus strong protest broke out on the streets of Brisbane on Wednesday, August 23, when fed-up residents marched on Parliament House to demand immediate action and results to tackle youth crime offending.

Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll responds to a question at the Toowoomba Community Safety Forum at Empire Theatres, Wednesday, February 15, 2023. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Police and Corrective Services Minister Mark Ryan announced a new task force was created to target serious repeat juvenile offenders and provide immediate support to Toowoomba and other communities.

“Everyone wants the same thing; we want our communities to be safe,” he said.

“I know that police work relentlessly every day to achieve that goal.

“I commend the QPS on establishing Taskforce Guardian which builds on the already successful outcomes of the State Flying Squad and Youth Co-responder models.

“The State Government is committed to not only supporting our police with the strongest youth justice laws in the country but the resources they need to keep our communities safe.”

Youth Justice Minister Di Farmer said the new task force will increase local resources where and when it is needed.

“Importantly, the teams will work with key agencies on the ground, including health, education, and disability services, to continue linking young people and families to services that can help tackle the complex causes of crime,” she said.