Cairns crime: Cairns Regional Council and Mareeba Shire Council plan for safer streets

Two Far North councils are working on fresh ideas to combat anti-social behaviour and crime. Why they are getting involved.

TWO Far North councils are working to combat the growing issues of anti-social behaviour and crime.

Cairns Regional Council planning and environment meeting will vote on a plan, made public on Monday, outlining a two-year trial period where Police Liaison Officers will use the council’s Esplanade office to assist with social intervention strategies.

Mareeba Shire Council is also calling on the state government to introduce diversionary facilities on more remote state-owned properties.

The Cairns plan aims to help reduce anti-social behaviour in the CBD.

The plan by Cairns Regional Council will be put to a vote on Wednesday. A council report explained the intention to engage with homeless people.

“Police Liaison Officers are essentially social connectors, culturally appropriate and trained in the deployment of social intervention skills and experience,” the plan says.

“QPS would be willing to relocate a number of Police Liaison Officers to the Esplanade office and contribute to a program whereby the Police Liaison Officers would make regular patrols with council’s street-based security and outreach program in the mornings and afternoons.

“Their focus would be to engage with the rough sleeper/homeless cohort at the times crucial to providing intervention options and reducing the risk of anti-social incidents.”

Mareeba Shire Mayor Angela Toppin is working on introducing new sentencing options for youth offenders.

Cairns MP Michael Healy said there was no quick fix to youth crime.

“Regional councils, state governments in fact everybody has a role to play in community safety,” he said.

“I welcome the engagement with Cairns Regional Council and look forward to better outcomes for this area.”

Meanwhile, Mareeba Shire Council Mayor Angela Toppin is working on introducing new sentencing options for youth offenders.

“Council will move a motion at the Local Government Association of Queensland annual conference in October that the state introduce diversionary facilities in remote areas to provide juvenile offenders with the chance to learn social and vocational skills, rather than send them to detention centres,” she said.

“It is a first step by our council to try and make a change that will allow these young people a chance to learn both social and technical skills.”

Cairns council considers police liaison plan

A proposal to tackle the Cairns CBD’s ongoing crime problem will be put to a vote at a Cairns Regional Council planning and environment meeting on Wednesday.

The plan, made public on Monday, outlines a two-year trial period where Police Liaison Officers will use the council’s Esplanade office to assist with “social intervention strategies” in the city.

A council report explained the intention to reduce anti-social behaviour.

“A partnership opportunity has arisen whereby council can facilitate the placement of Police Liaison Officers in the CBD and support a concentrated effort within the identified area of need,” the document said.

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“Police Liaison Officers are essentially social connectors, culturally appropriate and trained in the deployment of social intervention skills and experience.”

Their role would involve mainly engaging with homeless people.

“QPS would be willing to relocate a number of Police Liaison Officers to the Esplanade office and contribute to a program whereby the Police Liaison Officers would make regular patrols with council’s street based security and outreach program in the mornings and afternoons,” the document said.

“Their focus would be to engage with the rough sleeper/homeless cohort at the times crucial to providing intervention options and thereby possibly reducing the risk of anti-social incidents occurring.”

The document said eight Police Liaison Officers are already in the Cairns area but are used throughout the region.

A council car would be used by the Police Liaison Officers to assist in the initiative.

Cairns Regional Council division 5 councillor Amy Eden says it is time to do things differently to combat a crime crisis in the CBD. Picture: supplied

“To have Police Liaison Officers to specifically service the CBD area is a boost and access to the ‘CBD Only’ vehicle means that they can be mobile if required and the visual impact of the vehicle also acts as a passive deterrent mechanism,” the document said.

“It also means there is a bigger incentive to work the CBD because of access to a vehicle.”

The benefits outlined in the document include a significant increase in visual presence, minimal cost and commitment to the Cairns Regional Council Community Safety Plan.

Division 5 Councillor Amy Eden has led the charge against youth anti-social behaviour.

In April she told the Cairns Post it was all about putting boots on the ground.

Cairns this month broken an unenviable record, with 798 cars stolen so far this year.

87 cars were stolen in July, breaking the record of 782 cars stolen in 2021.

Originally published as Cairns crime: Cairns Regional Council and Mareeba Shire Council plan for safer streets