The LNP Opposition is calling on the Palaszczuk-Gordon Government to investigate the pursuit policy after concerns it is restricting police from doing their job effectively.
Shadow Minister for Police Jarrod Bleijie said Labor needs to heed the warnings from the Queensland Police Union President Ian Leavers and take action if the current policy isn’t working.
“Police are understandably frustrated if they can’t do their job properly and the LNP fully support the Queensland Police Union’s calls for an investigation into the current pursuit policy,” Mr Bleijie said.
“Currently the policy is sending the wrong message to offenders that they can get away from police without fear of pursuit, and this is simply not good enough.
“While community safety and the safety of our hard-working officers is a priority, it must be balanced to ensure police can still pursue and detain offenders, as they are trained to do.
“We need a policy that backs our men and women in blue who are skilled to deal with these kind of situations.”
Mr Bleijie said it is disappointing the Police Minister Jo-Ann Miller is refusing to consider the concerns raised by the police officers she is supposed to represent.
“Labor promised to be a government that listens and the attitude from Minister Miller paints a very different picture,” he said.
“If police feel they cannot do their job properly then it is incumbent on the government to look at the policy and make sure the balance is right.
“While in government, the LNP invested heavily in providing police with the equipment and resources they needed to do their job including putting 800 extra police on the beat.
“I don’t think Queenslanders voted for a soft-on-crime government, and would expect police officers to get the necessary support to allow them to do their job and keep our communities safe.”
