Asked on 24 November 2010
MR DOWLING asked the Minister for Police, Corrective Services and Emergency Services (MR ROBERTS)—
QUESTION:
Will the Minister explain why Redlands is so under-represented by Queensland Police Officers, with the Wynnum Police district boasting 1 officer per 795 residents in comparison to the state-wide Queensland average of 1:430?
ANSWER:
Increasing police numbers across Queensland continues to be a high priority for the Bligh Government. We are committed to providing 600 new officers in this term of government, and are ahead of schedule to achieve this goal.
The number of police officers has increased dramatically under successive Queensland Labor Governments – from 6,800 officers in June 1998 to 10,481 officers at 1 November 2010 – an increase of 54 percent.
This is in stark contrast to the situation when the conservatives were last in government. That government had an unenviable record of high crime rates and low police numbers.
The police-to-population ratio for Queensland at 30 June 1998 was 1:507.
The incoming Labor government immediately set out to reverse the trend and I am pleased to be able to report that we continue to do so. Police numbers are up, and the overall crime rate is down. At 30 June 2010, based on estimated residential population figures and actual police numbers, the police-to-population ratio had improved to 1:434.
The Bligh Government is committed to keeping Queensland’s police-to-population ratio at or better than the national average.
When Labor came to office in June 1998, the actual police strength for the Wynnum Police District was 164. At 30 June 2010 the District strength was 270, an increase of approximately 65 percent or 106 police.
During the same period, the population in the Wynnum District increased by approximately 31 percent – from 163,261 to approximately 214,762 residents as at 30 June 2010.
We will continue to properly resource our police, and support them to do their job of protecting Queenslanders in communities right across the state.
The police-to-population ratio is not the only indicator of the provision of effective policing. Different districts have different policing needs. Police managers are very aware of this and allocate resources accordingly.
Many districts have fewer police per head of population than the state average as specialist groups within commands or at regional level, which provide operational support to districts on a state-wide or regional basis, are not included in district level calculations. For example several hundred officers are attached to Operations Support Command, Ethical Standards Command and State Crime Operations Command. While these officers support police districts, they are not included in the calculations for district police-to-population ratios.
The Queensland Police Service continually reviews the allocation of police staffing resources across the state as part of its annual planning and budgetary processes. Rather than relying on one factor, such as the local police-to-population ratio, such reviews include assessments of demographic factors, crime trends, local policing initiatives, historical demand for service and local policing initiatives.
The safety of Queensland communities and maintenance of the highest levels of service delivery remain priorities for police region and district managers across the state.
The substantial increases in police numbers delivered by this Government has boosted the capacity of the Queensland Police Service to maintain law and order and protect the people of Queensland.
The overall rate of crime (offences per 100,000 persons) in Queensland has decreased for the 9th consecutive year. The 2009/10 Queensland Police Service Statistical Review shows a 1 percent decrease in the overall rate of crime, taking the reduction over the 10 years to 28 percent.
The rate of crimes such as other homicide, rape, robbery, unlawful entry, arson, unlawful use of a motor vehicle, and possess illegal drugs all decreased.
The rate of property offences has almost halved (48 percent) in the past 10 years, while the rate of offences against the person has decreased by 20 percent.
With respect to offences in the past 10 years within the Wynnum Police District, the rate of property offences has decreased by 51 percent and the rate of offences against the person has decreased by 27 percent.
These results demonstrate that the strategies being used by this Government and the Queensland Police Service to reduce crime in the community are working.