In response to community calls for more police officers in Noosa, Sandy during 2023 Estimates Hearings queried how adequate police numbers are determined for a region given the increase we have had in domestic and family violence and mental health callouts. The following was the response from Commissioner Carroll at the time:
There are a number of criteria used in that: demographic factors is one, clearly, crime trends, local policing initiatives, historical demand for service, and particularly now and in recent years, the actual demand of an area. I would say that a few years ago we were quite immature in measuring demand, particularly hidden demand. Part of recommendation No. 1 for the commission of inquiry is actually looking at demand. We have more sophisticated systems to look at that. There are a variety of factors, but for me the most accurate is to look at that hidden demand that in the past we actually did not see. I have touched on some of those things, as I have said: demographic, crime, local initiatives and that demand modelling.
The Commissioner stated that they take into account ‘hidden demand’ however since this statement was made, the Queensland Audit Office has conducted a performance audit report called ‘Deploying police resources’ which found that this was incorrect leading to further advocacy for better modeling from Sandy including in our budget requests mentioned in our March 2024 Noosa 360 update and a recent Question on Notice (QON) to the Police Minister, which is below and available in the Official Parliamentary Record (Hansard) at https://documents.parliament.qld.gov.au/tableOffice/questionsAnswers/2024/691-2024.pdf.
Sandy’s QON:
Will the Minister advise (a) whether Queensland Police have built evidence-based forecasting of demand across the QPS regions as recommended by the Auditor-General, (b) how it is it affecting police numbers and allocations and (c) whether these will be published according to Queensland Government’s Open Data Policy’s first principle of ‘open by default’?
The Minister’s response:
I am advised by the Queensland Police Service (QPS) that the QPS accepted the recommendation of the Auditor-General regarding the development of a robust model for forecasting demand, and implementation of this recommendation is ongoing. The development will be driven by a multidisciplinary team, with a planned implementation by the end of 2025.
The QPS is guided by the best available information to inform decision making regarding resource allocation. Once the demand forecasting model is finalised it will be used to inform future resource allocation decisions.
A decision regarding any availability of the modelling outcomes will be made after the development of the model is finalised.
2023-2024 State Budget outcomes – more police officers for the Sunshine Coast region
The budget provided for 98 police additional officers for the Sunshine Coast, and we have requested the amount that is to be allocated for Noosa as well as the timeline for those. In addition, $1.12 billion has been allocated to community safety, and it has been good to see that many of these measures align with the recommendations from the Youth Justice Reform Select Committee. They include the all-important much earlier interventions to support children from their earliest years through to preventions via educational engagement and health services from birth. In addition, family support coordinators and behavioural specialists in primary schools and early childhood coordinators. Especially appreciated has been the extra funding to Victim Assist to reduce the delays and to expand supports to victims of non-violent crimes, as well as those youth co-responder teams and an expansion of the intensive case management program including on the Sunshine Coast. Overall, from the 60 recommendations from the Youth Justice Reform Select Committee report, between the Community Safety Bill and this budget, thirty-six have been actioned.
Sandy’s full budget reply speech is available at www.sandybolton.com/budget-2024-25-summary.
New Police Station for Cooroy
The following update has been provided by the Officer in Charge of the Cooroy Police Station:
The new Cooroy Police Station will be open for business late July, 2024 as the interior of the building is still being fitted out. Prior to the building becoming fully operational it’s important to note that the old station is still manned and fully operational.
It’s also important to note that the station CLOSED sign refers to the front counter inquires office being closed and not the police station as a whole. Our opening hours for the front counter are 8am to 4pm Monday, Wednesday and Friday which is clearly signed and if you want to speak to an officer or have an officer attend your location outside of these hours a large free blue phone is provided next to the front door which will put you in contact with a police officer. Also a free call to PoliceLink (131444) which is a 24 hour Police call centre is provided to triage and prioritise calls for service.
Obviously for urgent issues people can call 000 for a lights and siren response. This has been the case for many years now. Cooroy Police work day and night shifts 7 days a week.
Even though outside the Noosa State Electorate, many of our residents will be serviced by this new station and Sandy is looking forward to it being fully operational. A reminder that the old station is still operating per the above statement from the OIC.
Capacity of the Queensland Police Academy
With reports that the Queensland Police Academy lacked capacity to train all new recruits at the same time, Sandy asked a QON to the Police Minister regarding which is below and available in Hansard at https://documents.parliament.qld.gov.au/tableOffice/questionsAnswers/2024/376-2024.pdf.
Sandy’s QON
With reference to the Queensland Police Academy lacking sufficient capacity to train all new Queensland Police Officer recruits at the same time— Will the Minister advise what will be undertaken to expand capacity as well increase the number of trainers required to facilitate this?
The Minister’s response
The Queensland Police Service (QPS) is currently undertaking the largest recruitment drive in its history to deliver 1,450 new police officers, in addition to the further 500 new police officers announced on 30 April 2024.
With the help of $87.5M announced by the Queensland Government in April 2023 to fund marketing and offer a range of incentives and initiatives, the number of recruit applications has reached historic highs in 2024 and the foreseeable future for police recruiting is delivering upon plans. The QPS advise that as at 7 May 2024 there are 684 recruits in training and over 2,240 in the recruitment pipeline.
With an ambitious schedule of recruit intakes in both Brisbane and Townsville planned, the QPS advises that plans are in place to the end of 2025 that are capable of delivering a combined police officer and recruit headcount in excess of the GEC target.
The Queensland Police Academy operations have been scaled-up to meet the schedule of recruit intakes, with additional classroom space created in the Oxley campus and experienced officers seconded from other areas to boost instructor numbers.
An extension of operating hours at the Bob Atkinson Operational Skills Centre has enabled firearms and skills training for in-service personnel to be offered on weekends and evenings. Additional skills training is also being delivered locally across south-east Queensland by district education and training offices.
The QPS has ensured its capacity to deliver world-class recruit training has kept pace with the historic surge in recruiting.
Further information on police recruitment is available on our March 2024 Noosa 360 update at www.sandybolton.com/police-recruitment-pursuits-and-general-update-march-2024
If any Noosa State Electorate residents have any feedback or insights on the above information, please email us via noosa@parliament.qld.gov.au
Crime rates update
The current offence statistics for the last five years in the Noosa Local Government Area (LGA) are below:
Further information
For our recent update on Sandy’s advocacy regarding Queensland’s police pursuit policy, please visit www.sandybolton.com/police-recruitment-pursuits-and-general-update-march-2024
For information on our transition to mobile police beats, highway patrols, compliances, special operations or station locations, please visit our previous Noosa 360 update at www.sandybolton.com/policing-in-noosa-july-2023.
To view our previous Noosa 360 updates on Crime/ Youth Recidivism, please visit www.sandybolton.com/?s=Crime
For emergencies, please dial 000 immediately.
Call Policelink on 131444 for non-urgent reporting and enquiries, saving the need for you to make reports at a local station. You can also report online at www.police.qld.gov.au/policelink-reporting. These reports are then sent to the local officers on duty 24/7.
With very few Neighbourhood Watches operating in the Noosa area currently, anyone with concerns may wish to consider starting one to increase knowledge and security around their homes and with neighbours and other residents. These can also provide excellent feedback for local police. To enquire further, please contact the Sunshine Coast District Crime Prevention Unit via sunshinecoast@police.qld.gov.au.