Friday, 23 October 2020
Police in North Queensland will be reinforced with a dedicated crime-fighting helicopter under an LNP Government to track criminals and protect the community.
On a visit to Townsville today, LNP Shadow Police Minister Dan Purdie said an LNP Government would invest $3 million a year to operate a dedicated police chopper in North Queensland.
“POLAIR helicopters have proved their worth in the southeast corner for years and the LNP believes the North Queensland is worth the same service,” Mr Purdie said.
“Townsville has a crime crisis because Labor is soft on crime and their business as usual approach won’t change a thing.
“The LNP’s police helicopter will turn the tables on criminals.
“The dedicated police helicopter is on top of our plan for a youth crime curfew, more police, and tougher laws.
“The only way to fix the crime crisis in Townsville is to change the government and vote 1 LNP.”
LNP Candidate for Mundingburra and Townsville Police Inspector Glenn Doyle said the LNP’s police helicopter would be fitted with infrared technology to track-down criminals.
“A dedicated police helicopter would be a gamechanger for fighting crime in Townsville,” Mr Doyle said.
“It will provide a rapid aerial response capability Townsville just doesn’t have right now.
“The helicopter can be tasked quickly to track vehicles and criminals on foot, which means our police officers on the ground are safer.
“Townsville police want this helicopter, the community needs this helicopter – the only thing standing in the way is a Labor Government.”
LNP candidate for Townsville John Hathaway said POLAIR helicopters in the southeast located 1141 offenders in the 2019/20 financial year.
“Catching more than 1100 criminals in a single year is proof of how much a dedicated helicopter would help to tackle the crime crisis in Townsville,” Mr Hathaway said.
“It’s will be a cutting-edge tool police can use to get crooks of the streets and protect the community.”
LNP candidate for Thuringowa Natalie Marr said it was out of touch for Townsville’s Labor MPs to fight against this crime-stopping machine.
“Only an LNP Government will take direct action to keep North Queensland safe,” Ms Marr said.
“Not only will there be more police on the ground under the LNP, they will have tougher laws and a dedicated helicopter backing them.
“The only way to bring Townsville’s crime crisis to an end is to change the government on October 31.”
The Queensland Police Service Annual Report 2019/20 shows the two POLAIR helicopters, based in Brisbane and Gold Coast:
- were the first police resource on scene for 922 reported incidents;
- proactively identified 400 traffic-related matters with its contemporary equipment;
- located 86 missing persons with its state-of-the-art night vision and infra-red technology;
- located 1,141 offenders;
- participated in 182 counter terrorism and covert surveillance operations.
Source:
https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/documents/tableOffice/TabledPapers/2020/5620T1695.pdf
