Gold Coast crime: Queensland Police ‘wanding’ trial starts in Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach

Police have released video showing them scanning revellers at Surfers Paradise over the long weekend – including one who was found carrying a screwdriver. SEE THE VIDEO

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POLICE scanned 116 revellers in Gold Coast party precincts over the long weekend, finding a screwdriver and a knife.

A 23-year-old man was cautioned by police after being found with the screwdriver in Surfers Paradise on Friday night.

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On Sunday, a 31-year-old man was charged after being found with a knife. He’ll face court later this month.

The police ‘wanding’ trial commenced on the weekend after laws expanding police powers to search people without a warrant in Gold Coast party precincts passed in parliament.

The trial follows the stabbing death of several people, including 17-year-old Jack Beasley.

Man found with screwdriver, as ‘wand’ trial begins

May 2: Police have cautioned a man found with a screwdriver on the first weekend of the Glitter Strip’s ‘wanding’ trial, which has got underway without issue, a senior cop says.

More than 80 people were scanned by police with metal detecting devices on Friday and Saturday between 6pm and 6am. Officers were out on the beat again overnight on Sunday.

The 12-month trial started on Friday, 24 hours after police were given powers to search people at random in Safe Night Precincts in a bid to combat knife crime on the Gold Coast.

A screwdriver was detected during the first two nights of the new 'wanding' trial on the Gold Coast.

Acting Chief Superintendent Rhys Wildman said the community responded well to the trial on its first weekend and there had been “no push back”.

“When we started the scanning … we found a number of people were already aware of the wanding trial … and really the overall public feedback over the weekend has been extremely positive,” he said.

Police scanned 69 people in Surfers Paradise and 14 people in Broadbeach across the two nights.

Chief Supt Wildman said one person was found with a screwdriver.

“We’ve picked up one individual (a 23-year-old man) who has received an adult caution for possessing a dangerous article, it’s not a knife, buts it’s an item that they shouldn’t be in possession of,” he told the Bulletin.

Acting Chief Superintendent Rhys Wildman at Surfers Paradise Police HQ. Picture: Glenn Hampson

Police scanning revellers also charged people for breaching bail, while one person was arrested on a warrant for property offences.

Chief Supt Wildman said police targeted a wide range of people throughout the main thoroughfares of the party precincts, as well as transport hubs, and other “discreet locations”.

Police powers were expanded in parliament this month enabling the trial, which comes after multiple stabbing deaths on the Gold Coast, including 17-year-old Jack Beasley on December 12, 2019 in Surfers Paradise in front of early evening diners.

Chief Supt Wildman said police had safe guards in place during the scanning process, including the use of body-warn cameras.

He said all officers on shift within the Safe Night Precincts were carrying a metal detecting device. More officers are expected to be trained as the trial progresses.

Chief Supt Wildman said everyone had the right to feel safe in public, and that’s what the trial was about.

“Don’t bring a knife, or an edged weapon, or any weapon out in public,” he said.

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Originally published as Gold Coast crime: Queensland Police ‘wanding’ trial starts in Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach