Bulletin 353 - Queensland Police Service

Transcription

ISSUE NO. 353
OCTOBER 2010
Police
BULLETIN
Community policing
the heart of the Service
FROM COMMISSIONER ATKINSON
Finding new ways to
improve service to the
community
QPS Awards for
Excellence
Graduation
ceremonies
Official opening of
Policelink
(JCC) facility at Zillmere, north
On August 19, the
Queensland Police Service
(QPS) Awards for Excellence
ceremony was held at police
headquarters.
On August 13 and 27,
I attended graduation
ceremonies at Townsville and
Brisbane academies.
On August 8, the Minister and
I attended the official opening
of Policelink.
building has received the
These awards recognise the
efforts and achievements
of members who have
proactively sought ways to
improve the service offered by
the QPS.
The gold winners were DNA
Improvement Strategy in
the Policing Operations
category; Changing the
cycle in the Crime Prevention
category; Growth Funding
Supplementation Model in
the Corporate and Support
Services category; the Weed
it out project in the Problem
Oriented and Partnership
Policing category; and the
Dangerous Liaisons Training
in the Police Education and
Training category.
I offer my congratulations to
the winners and thanks to
all members who submitted
projects and initiatives for
consideration.
The new constables come
from a variety of backgrounds
including defence forces,
trades, hospitality, teachers
and administration
professions. They have
undertaken 30 weeks of
extensive training that will
equip them with the necessary
knowledge and skills as
they take up duties in their
respective areas.
Thirty-seven new constables
from Townsville have been
stationed in Far Northern,
Northern and Central
regions while the 82 new
constables from Brisbane
have been allocated to North
Coast, Metropolitan North,
Metropolitan South, South
Eastern and Southern regions.
I wish our newest members
well as they take up their
positions.
Policelink will enhance QPS
service delivery by providing
community members
additional ways to contact
police to report non-urgent
incidents 24 hours a day,
seven days a week. It also
provides the QPS with the
opportunity to introduce the
national non-urgent police
number—131 444.
The introduction of Policelink
will result in significant
changes and operational
benefits within the QPS. It
is anticipated that Policelink
will handle more than two
million contacts annually
and therefore reduce the
call burden at existing police
establishments, increase
capacity of operational police,
and facilitate the delivery
of improved client service
to the community and QPS
members.
Policelink will operate from
the Joint Contact Centre
Brisbane, shared with Smart
Service Queensland. The JCC
premier Level 6 Green Star
Certified Rating (World class
standard).
Road toll
At the time of writing this
column, the road toll this year
is 177, which is 85 less than at
the same time in 2009.
If we can achieve that same
status at the end of this
year—85 less—it will be the
lowest road toll for more than
50 years and the lowest rate—
number of deaths per 100,000
population—ever recorded.
We all know how fickle and
unpredictable the road
toll can be, but I ask every
member to focus on road
safety whenever possible for
the last three months of this
year so that the outstanding
results achieved so far can be
maintained.
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Executive Editor
Matthew Rigby
Editor
Paula Hedemann
Editorial assistant
Tim Larkin
Statement of purpose
Police Bulletin is a free bi-annual
public information document intended
to provide a record of initiatives
and achievements, an insight into
the operations of the Queensland
Police Service, and base research to
interested members of the community.
Each edition is available from police
stations, district and regional offices,
and Police Headquarters, Brisbane.
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About the cover
Acting Senior Constable Carmel Mills
is the school based police officer for
Mabel Park High School in Logan.
Police officers work closely with diverse
communities across the state to help
make Queensland a safe and secure
place to live, work and do business.
Photo by Sergeant Wayne Roberts,
Photographic Section
.
Police Bulletin is printed externally by
Media and Public Affairs Branch
Police Headquarters
GPO Box 1440
Brisbane Qld 4001
Telephone:07 3364 6256
Facsimile: 07 3364 6268
Layout and design:
Sally Jelbert
Graphic Designer
Graphic Design Services
Advertising contact details:
Carol Gudgeon
Email: carol@colourscan.com.au
Telephone: 1300 364 333
Copyright of this publication is
vested in the Commissioner of Police.
Reproduction for use other than
within the Queensland Police Service
is prohibited and requires the written
permission of the Commissioner
of Police (or his delegate) prior
to re-publication or attribution.
Contact should be made through
the Director, Media and Public
Affairs Branch.
The information contained in this publication was
true and correct at the time it went to print.
C
O
N
T
Message from Commissioner Atkinson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Message from Deputy Commissioner Stewart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Message from Neil Roberts MP,
Minister for Police, Corrective Services and Emergency Services. . . . . . . . . . . 7
Not My House project puts Aspley residents on alert. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Fighting fear with friendship in migrant communities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Senior citizens cry SOS for online safety support. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Toowoomba police get the message through early. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
International agencies join forces to fight fraud. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Making contact with the invisible people . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Warwick police make connections in the bush . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Mornington Islanders a force to be reckoned with. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Rocky Horror Road Show a breathtaking performance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
The power of one. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Police-Citizens Youth Clubs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Queensland Blue Light Association. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Police partner with schools in lessons of life. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Caboolture confronts domestic violence case by case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Volunteers in Policing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Queensland community helps solve One Punch Can Kill case. . . . . . . . . . . . 30
E
N
T
S
Rockhampton breaks the cycle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Mount Isa police give kids a voice in remote towns. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Empowering the community to help fight crime. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Neighbourhood Watch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Policelink . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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34
36
37
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A D V E R T I S E R S ’
I N D E X
advert. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
advert. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
advert. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
advert. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
advert. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
advert. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
advert. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
advert. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
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FROM DEPUTY COMMISSIONER STEWART
(regional operations)
Achieving goals through
unity and team work
It is with great pleasure that I
accept the portfolio of Deputy
Commissioner (Regional
Operations) following two
and a half years as Deputy
Commissioner (Specialist
Operations). I would like
to formally extend my
congratulations to Deputy
Commissioner Ross Barnett
as he commences his role
in Specialist Operations
following his appointment
commencing October 3.
I also acknowledge the
efforts and commitment of
all members of the Specialist
Operations group during my
time as the responsible officer.
In recent months, the
(QPS) has been the subject
of significant media coverage
and public scrutiny following
a number of internal inquiries.
The issue of professional
conduct and appropriate
decision making has been
reinforced within the Service
and it directly affects
individual officers, their
partners, colleagues and the
QPS as a whole.
Achievements throughout the
Service are generally realised
through unity, team work and
having a common purpose,
whether that team involves
two officers at a small country
station, work undertaken
by support services such as
prosecutions, or large scale
operations such as police
special events or disaster
management incidents. The
value of each individual’s
About this edition
Upholding the law and preserving life
and property are among the oaths taken
by every Queensland police officer, but it
is not a role performed in isolation.
While law enforcement and specialist
services must remain the exclusive
domain of trained police officers, many
day to day operations are conducted
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input and performance cannot
be underestimated when
considering achievements
within the policing
environment.
It is also important to
recognise that the actions and
decisions made by each of
you impact on the credibility
of the Service. In contrast,
unprofessional, unethical or
unlawful behaviour has the
potential to seriously tarnish
the reputation of the Service
and in doing so, detracts from
the valuable contribution each
member of the QPS team
has made. I note the majority
of the Service maintains the
high professional standard
that we as an organisation
advocate. I support all
officers and members in the
with the help of, or in consultation
with, members of the public. Crime
prevention and education programs,
community and cultural interaction,
and facilitating the flow of information
and intelligence from the public form
a significant part of policing a state as
large and diverse as Queensland.
From long established partnerships such
as Crime Stoppers and Neighbourhood
work you do and encourage
you to maintain a positive
culture within your work
environments.
In order for us to succeed, it is
essential the Service maintains
a positive relationship with
the community, continually
reviews service delivery
standards, and vigorously
maintains high standards in
personal ethical conduct.
I look forward to your
continued support in this
regard and encourage you all
to maintain a strong, moral
focus as members of the QPS
‘team’.
I look forward to catching up
with many of you in person
during the coming months.
Watch, to targeted programs developed
by police on the frontline to address
specific problems, police are working
with and among our communities to
achieve a common purpose.
The stories in this Police Bulletin attempt
to illustrate the work QPS members do
to tackle crime at a grass roots level and
make Queensland a safe and secure
place to live, visit and do business.
FROM NEIL ROBERTS MP
MINISTER FOR POLICE, CORRECTIVE SERVICES AND EMERGENCY SERVICES
Crime prevention
a community effort
Appointment
of new Deputy
Commissioner
I would like to congratulate
Ross Barnett on his
appointment as Deputy
Commissioner (Specialist
Operations) within the
(QPS) last month.
With a long and distinguished
career with the QPS spanning
close to 35 years, Mr Barnett
is a well respected leader
who brings considerable
knowledge and experience to
the role.
After graduating as dux of his
squad in 1976, Mr Barnett’s
career has included many
key postings in the State
Crime Operations Command
as well as several important
secondments to external state
and Commonwealth agencies.
Mr Barnett has been Assistant
Commissioner of State
Crime Operations Command
since July 2008, and earlier
this year acted as Assistant
Commissioner of Metropolitan
North Region for several
months.
with Mr Barnett and wish him
all the best in his new role.
In addition to being awarded
the Australian Police Medal
in 2007, Mr Barnett received
the Geoffrey Bowen Memorial
Award in 1997, the highest
individual honour awarded
annually by the National
Crime Authority.
Crime Prevention
Month
He has also twice been
awarded the QPS
Commissioner’s Certificate—
in 1992 and 1993—and in
2003 completed the FBI
National Academy Program at
Quantico, Virginia.
He is a graduate of the Police
Executive Leadership program
at the Australian Institute of
Police Management and holds
an undergraduate Degree in
Justice Administration and a
Masters in Public Policy and
Administration.
Mr Barnett’s appointment
will signal the start of a new
and exciting chapter in what
has already been a highly
impressive career with the
QPS. I look forward to working
Crime Prevention Month kicks
off on October 1 and is a time
for everyone in the community
to put some thought and
action into minimising
opportunities for criminals to
engage in illegal activity.
This year’s theme for the
month is ‘Be a part of it’, and
recognises that it takes a
whole-of-community effort to
minimise crime.
But there are many things all
of us—police officers or not—
can do in our daily lives to
minimise crime.
This month I encourage
each of you to help boost
local awareness of the ways
residents can contribute to a
crime-free community.
Simple actions such as
ensuring windows and
doors are kept locked when
away from home, locking
cars, reporting suspicious
behaviour or joining a
Neighbourhood Watch group
can make a big difference.
Of course, QPS does a
fantastic job each and every
day in our communities
working proactively to reduce
crime as well as investigating
offences and bringing those
people responsible to justice.
Every day our frontline police
officers are working across
the state to protect our
community, and I would like
to again thank each of you for
your ongoing efforts.
PoliceBulletin353
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Not My House project
puts Aspley residents on alert
The Not My House project
has police and the residents
of Aspley working together
to reduce ‘break and
enter’ crime rates in their
neighbourhood.
Police in North Brisbane
District identified a high
number of break and enter
offences in the Aspley area,
and predicted the numbers
had the potential to increase
across the district if the
problem was not addressed.
In response, crime prevention
officers decided to attack
the problem at a grass roots
level, developing the Not My
House project and launching
it in July 2010. The project
aims to reduce break and
enters in the Aspley area by
educating residents, helping
to create neighbourhood
networks, and providing
resources to recent victims to
ensure they do not become
repeat victims.
Sergeant Leanne Eggins,
North Brisbane District Crime
Prevention Coordinator,
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said she believed increasing
awareness was an important
aspect of the campaign.
“Many people don’t realise
that residents are more
vulnerable to becoming a
victim of a break and enter
if their home has previously
been broken into, or if they
live in the same street as a
victim,” Sergeant Eggins
said.
“If an offender can’t get into
your home, they will most
likely try your neighbour’s
house or someone else’s in
the street.
“That’s why neighbour-toneighbour contact is so
important so everyone in your
street is aware of a break and
enter or an attempted break
and enter and can make sure
they have adequate security
measures.”
The campaign has been
met with an enthusiastic
response from the Aspley
community, with repeat
victims of break and enters
actively participating in the
campaign and as a result,
taking ownership over their
home security.
residents of the recent
offences and encourage
them to take appropriate
security measures.”
Acting Senior Constable
Megan Dwyer of the North
Brisbane District Crime
Prevention Unit is the project
manager of Not My House,
and said she was proud
of the resources that had
been made available to
the community through the
program.
The project is greatly aided
by the existing community
infrastructure in the Aspley
area, including organisations
such as Neighbourhood
Watch and other local groups
who are able to assist in
promoting and supporting
the program. General duties
officers and detectives from
Carseldine Police Station
also enthusiastically provide
support for the project.
“Residents are provided with
a Not My House information
pack that includes Microdot
products, fact sheets,
neighbour contact cards
and light timers,” Senior
Constable Dwyer said.
“Crime prevention officers
are also available to conduct
security audits in homes and
offer advice on how to better
secure homes.
“The program includes
letterbox drops in streets
surrounding a break and
enter location to advise
For further information about
the Not My House project
contact the North Brisbane
Crime Prevention Unit on
3364 3313.
By Kate Stephens
Media and Public Affairs
Branch
Fighting fear
with friendship
in migrant communities
In 1962, a military coup
d'état ended democratic
rule in Burma, also known
as Myanmar. Since then,
hundreds of thousands of
the nation’s minority group
members have fled their
homes to neighbouring
counties such as Bangladesh.
Many spend years in refugee
camps, however significant
numbers of two groups
have started new lives on
Brisbane’s northside.
Sergeant Cherie Crane,
Cross Cultural Liaison Officer
for Metropolitan North
Region, engages with the
Karen and Rohingya people
to help build relationships
and overcome their fear of
authority figures.
“These people have come
from places where the police
are feared,” Sergeant Crane
said.
“We’ve had instances in the
past where some people
have been absolutely terrified
of speaking to us through
a Burmese translator. They
were afraid the translator
would report to the junta they
were in Australia, and reprisal
attacks would be carried out
against any family they still
had in Burma. That kind of
fear is pervasive.”
Sergeant Crane said she
and the other cross cultural
liaison officers, alongside
police liaison officers, worked
closely with the migrant
communities to help defuse
that fear, and let them know
the police were there to help.
“I try to meet with all newly
settled refugees, sometimes
in plain clothes so as not
to appear threatening, and
tell them we are here to
help them. Once that trust
is built, we take them on
a tour of their local police
station and introduce them
to the officers. Many of them
would have never dreamed
of speaking to a police officer
willingly before, but we build
that trust and soon they feel
at ease.”
Tackling some cultural
barriers can be more difficult
however, as Sergeant
Crane discovered with the
Rohingya people, a Muslim
minority group from Burma.
A large number have
resettled in Banyo, but with
long-established traditions
and being almost entirely
non-English speaking, their
integration was challenging
at first.
“The Rohingya were terrified
of police when they first
arrived in the region, so we
made a concerted effort to
make sure every request they
made was met so they knew
they didn’t have to be afraid
of us,” Sergeant Crane said.
“Sergeant Ben Flematti, who
was Officer-in-Charge of
Banyo, and I then developed
a plan to help overcome
these cultural hurdles.”
Working closely with the
Banyo Football Club and
RSL, Earnshaw College,
Brisbane City Council
and the Multicultural
Development
Association, Sergeant
Crane and Sergeant
Flematti implemented
a proactive strategy of
engaging the Rohingya
with the local Banyo
communities to enable
them to get to know each
other.
“It all culminated with
what we called Neighbour
Day, which we celebrated at
Banyo Memorial Park. We
had members from the Banyo
community, the Rohingya
community and police all
celebrating together. It was
a fantastic day for everyone
involved.”
For Sergeant Crane, the most
rewarding aspect of her job
is engaging with a diverse
variety of cultures on a daily
basis.
“The Karen, who settled
on the northside, have only
been in Australia for four
years, but the relationship
has grown strong in that time.
Every year I am invited to
celebrate Thanksgiving with
their elders, and it’s just a
wonderful experience every
time I attend,” she said.
Police build trust by demonstrating the
use of an Alcolmeter to members of the
Karen community who have settled on
Brisbane's northside after fleeing Burma.
One of Sergeant Crane’s
proudest moments as a cross
cultural liaison officer came
recently when she helped
organise an ‘Intercultural
Yarning Tent’, which brought
together members of migrant
and Indigenous communities
to swap stories and share
knowledge.
“There was a moment where
the refugees were sharing
their experiences and the
hardships they had been
through, and the Aboriginal
elders had tears in their eyes.
Everyone cherished that
chance to listen and tell their
own story. And when you
help to facilitate something
like that, it’s a humbling
moment.”
By Tim Larkin, Media and
Public Affairs Branch
PoliceBulletin353
9
Photo by Donna Kerr, Carindale PCYC
Senior
citizens
cry SOS
for online
safety support
Senior citizens are surfing the
web with confidence and,
most importantly, with safety
thanks to a program launched
in the Metropolitan South
Region by the Carindale
Police-Citizens Youth Club
(PCYC).
The project was initiated
after members of the
Carina Senior Citizens Club
expressed concern over their
members falling victim to
scammers on the Internet,
to the extent that they were
no longer confident to use
computers.
Statistics show that out of
all the crimes perpetrated
against seniors, consumer
fraud is the largest category
recorded, which incorporates
online fraud. While not
exclusively the victims of
online fraud, the impact can
be particularly devastating
to seniors as they do not
have the ability to recover
superannuation or life savings
lost to scammers.
To address these issues,
the Carindale PCYC sought
funding from the QPS
Community Crime Prevention
Fund along with the skills
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and knowledge of police and
community professionals.
Detective Senior Constable
Graeme Edwards of the QPS
Fraud and Corporate Crime
Group, Dr Cassandra Cross of
the QPS Community Safety
and Crime Prevention Branch,
Melissa Clarke, Manager
of Westpac Carindale, and
Chris Moffat, Director of
SuperGeek, joined forces
to develop a three-hour
information session titled
Seniors Online Security, or
SOS.
Each speaker drew on
their expertise to address
the areas of online scams,
seniors victimisation, internet
banking and the importance
of virus protection software
on computers.
Sergeant David Beard,
Manager of the Carindale
PCYC, said the sessions
aimed to educate seniors on
the use of online technology
and prevent victimisation
from occurring in the first
place.
“Many seniors do not have a
high level of understanding
about technologies
such as the Internet, and
(From left) Carindale PCYC Branch Manager Sergeant David Beard and presenters Melissa
Clarke, Manager of Westpac Carindale, Dr Cassandra Cross of the QPS Community Safety
and Crime Prevention Branch, and Chris Moffat, Director of SuperGeek, delivered an
information session titled Seniors Online Security. Not pictured is presenter Detective Senior
Constable Graeme Edwards, of the QPS Fraud and Corporate Crime Group.
therefore do not have
appropriate strategies in
place to minimise the risk of
becoming a victim of fraud,”
Sergeant Beard said.
In the SOS sessions, seniors
are provided with educational
material on the use of
the Internet for everyday
tasks, such as banking and
email. They are also given
simple strategies to reduce
their likelihood of online
victimisation, such as deleting
emails from unknown
recipients and the dangers of
opening email attachments.
Most importantly, the
seminars provide seniors with
a point of contact should they
have questions or need to
report future victimisation.
The SOS sessions were
promoted through the
Carindale PCYC’s networks
as well as being advertised
in local Quest newspapers.
More than 80 local seniors
attended the initial three
sessions, and as a result,
an additional seminar was
delivered in Greenslopes
electorate, sponsored by
local member and State
Attorney General Cameron
Dick. The Mackay Crime
Prevention Unit also
replicated the SOS seminar
for local seniors as part of
National Seniors Week 2010.
The positive feedback
received from all the
participants has identified a
need to make information
about online security more
readily available to seniors.
The Carindale PCYC has
since been successfully
awarded an $85,000 grant
under the Commonwealth
Government’s Proceeds of
Crime Act 2002 Funding
Scheme to develop further
training materials.
“The SOS project has been
a great opportunity for the
Carindale PCYC to show their
value within the community
by delivering crime
prevention projects to senior
citizens while maintaining its
core objectives of delivering
affordable programs for
youth,” Sergeant Beard said.
“I look forward to continuing
this important project
through the funding we have
received.”
By Sergeant David Beard,
Carindale PCYC and Kate
Stephens, Media and Public
Affairs Branch
Toowoomba police get
the message through early
Most adults are aware of
their personal boundaries,
and can sense when others
are overstepping them and
will take action to protect
themselves. But how do we
communicate this message of
self preservation to children
in ways they can understand?
Toowoomba police officers
have been working with
local community groups to
develop innovative ways
to educate local school
students—both primary and
secondary—and help prevent
child abuse and domestic
and family violence.
Senior Constable Leigh
James of Toowoomba
District Crime Prevention
Unit has been instrumental
in developing a pantomime
performance to deliver the
concepts of the Protective
Behaviours Program to young
primary school children.
The ‘protective behaviours’
concept supersedes the old
notion of ‘stranger danger’
in recognition of the fact
that the overwhelming
majority of all types of abuse
is committed by a person
known to the victim.
The pantomime has been
performed for Year One
and Two students during
Child Protection Week each
September since 2007.
Senior Constable James said
that this year, the script was
updated to target slightly
older children.
“The pantomime aims to
help Year Three and Four
students recognise the early
warning signs that occur in
their bodies when they feel
‘scared, unsafe or unsure’,
and identify adults they can
go to who they know and
trust,” Senior Constable
James said.
“The story has been rewritten
this year to focus on the
concept of a ‘secret’—where
an adult tells a child to keep a
secret that causes the child to
feel his or her early warning
signs.”
The program has received
positive feedback from the
community. One indicator of
its success has been the high
recall of concepts among
students, including special
education students.
“If I’m talking to a Year Three
child and I know they’ve been
to the pantomime in Years
One or Two, I’m able to ask
them about it and have them
recall the concepts. We’re
also seeing good recall with
special education students,
who may be especially
vulnerable. The creative
format really appeals to the
children.”
This year, the pantomime was
staged with the assistance
of a $3,000 Regional Activity
Grant, provided by the
Queensland Child Protection
Week Committee and
Queensland Government,
to support the aims and
objectives of Child Protection
Week, September 5-11.
With additional support
from organisations including
Toowoomba Regional
Council, Queensland Blue
Light Association, Stonestreet
Coaches, Spring Street
Christian Church, Heritage
Building Society and the
National Association for the
Prevention of Child Abuse
and Neglect (NAPCAN),
Crime prevention officers
also work hand in hand
with NAPCAN on another
program which is targeted
to older students aged 1418. The Love Bites program
was originally developed by
health and education service
providers in New South Wales
to teach young people about
respectful relationships.
Toowoomba police identified
a need for consistency in
“The basic premise is that
it’s an early intervention
program,” Ms Priddin said.
“We introduced Love Bites
into our community because
we realised young people
Working together with
the local community in
Toowoomba, the Crime
Prevention Unit is making
connections with children of
different age groups. Both
primary and high school
students are learning early
in life about child protection
and preventing domestic
and family violence—both
major priorities within the
community.
By Hayley Story, Media and
“It caters
for all sorts
of learning
styles and
you’re
engaging
young people
with skills
in all sorts
of areas.
The creative
workshops
also produce
‘Love Bites’
Priddin facilitates one of the
Then-Senior Constable Mel
about
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ng
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information sessions, whic
respectful relationships.
Photos courtesy of Department of Communities (Child Safety Services)
Crime prevention officers in Toowoomba use the art of pantomime to teach protective
behaviours to Year Three and Four students during Child Protection Week in September.
The Love Bites program
comprises information
sessions about sexual assault
and domestic violence,
followed by creative and
artistic elements such as art
and hip hop workshops. The
creative element is a fun
and non-threatening part
of the program that allows
students to express in their
own language what they have
learnt.
posters and music that can
be used as part of a local
community campaign against
violence,” Ms Priddin said.
ol
“By myself, I would normally
only contact around 250
students over two days,
but because of the high
level of community support
with venues, transport and
logistics, we are able to reach
many more.”
As a police officer, Melinda
Priddin worked with Senior
Constable James on
both the child protection
pantomime and the Love
Bites program. So passionate
about its effectiveness,
Ms Priddin now works
as a project manager for
NAPCAN, training facilitators
and rolling out the Love
Bites program throughout
Queensland. She said the aim
of the Love Bites program
was to educate students
about the issues related to
unhealthy relationships and
encourage young people
to seek help from friends
and local services to prevent
relationship violence and
sexual abuse.
were starting relationships
early and these were often
unhealthy relationships. Many
young people do not know
where to go for help and they
will remain silent about abuse
that has occurred to them or
someone they know.”
orn, Oakey State High Scho
Senior Constable James said
the high level of community
engagement contributed
to spreading the protective
behaviours messages.
sexual assault and domestic
violence education and
prevention, and are the first
in Queensland to take the
program into local schools.
Photo courtesy of Chris Coleb
more than 1,300 students
from more than 10 different
schools throughout
Toowoomba had free
entry and transport to the
performances at the Empire
Theatre in September.
PoliceBulletin353
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Making contact with
the invisible people
They are too often the
overlooked citizens. Living on
the periphery of society, the
homeless are vulnerable and
helpless, some struggling
just to make it through each
day. One initiative however
is making great strides
in giving the homeless a
second chance, and more
importantly, showing them
they have not been forgotten.
The ’50 Lives, 50 Homes’
program was designed to
identify and help house the
50 most vulnerable homeless
people in Brisbane. The
program is run by Micah
Projects, a not for profit
organisation that provides
homeless, mental health and
disability services, with the
assistance of police from the
Brisbane Central and South
Brisbane districts.
Senior Sergeant Corey Allen,
Officer-in-Charge of Brisbane
City Station, said the program
was making inroads into the
problem by starting at the
bottom and taking small
steps upwards.
“The 50 Lives, 50 Homes
program is effective because
it breaks down a large
problem into manageable
portions,” Senior Sergeant
Allen said.
“The 50 people identified
are genuinely at risk, and
the entire community has
an obligation to make the
system work properly for
them.”
During one week in June,
police officers joined 70
community volunteers in
walking the streets during the
chilly hours of 4am to 7am
to meet the people sleeping
rough and conduct surveys.
It was the first time Brisbane’s
homeless had been properly
surveyed about their health,
housing and welfare needs.
“We were well supported—
Superintendent Savage from
Brisbane Central and Acting
Superintendent Sang from
South Brisbane came out with
the crews to do surveys,” he
said.
Police in both Brisbane
Central and South Brisbane
continue to support the
program by reaching out
to those who are ‘service
resistant’, or refusing any
form of help. Despite the
difficulties, Senior Sergeant
Allen said the program had
already seen some great
successes.
“We met a young man on
the second night of the
survey and provided him with
transport to Cairns to reunite
with his family. He has not
been homeless since.
“We’ve also been able to
match several other people
we identified in the survey
with appropriate housing and
support, but the challenge
to do that for everyone
identified continues.”
For Senior Sergeant Allen,
one of the more pleasing
outcomes of the program so
far has been the opportunity
“Frances told us she slept
there because she felt safer
being close to the police in
a well lit area. She has been
homeless for some years and
had been unwilling to even
talk to case workers prior to
this project. With the help of
police, the team has been
able to make a breakthrough
with Frances, and she is well
on the way to getting the
healthcare and housing she
needs.”
is always a challenge, but
getting people to believe
the system will work for them
is a matter of trust that not
all homeless people can
find. Making a face-to-face
connection goes a long way
to overcoming that hurdle.
“Getting the different
services working together
on the ground is the best
thing that has come from
this program. First response
police are in a good position
to keep that positive contact
going and link to the services
where vulnerable people are
identified,” Senior Sergeant
Allen said.
“Then once the first 50 are
housed and safe, we can
move onto the next 50.”
By Tim Larkin,
Branch
Senior Sergeant Corey Allen (left) and Sergeant Mick Walters of
Brisbane City Station regroup after spending the chilly pre-dawn
hours meeting and surveying the city’s homeless population.
Photos by Sergeant James Tibbetts, Brisbane Central District Major Events Unit
for police to connect with
case workers, volunteers and
homeless people in ways
that haven’t been possible
before. One of those people
was Frances, a homeless
woman who spent her nights
sleeping on the benches near
the Adelaide Street Police
Beat.
For Senior Sergeant Allen
however, one of the most
vital things he wants to help
the homeless regain is trust.
“Trust is rare when you’ve
been disenfranchised, and
this is very understandable.
Finding the right housing
near appropriate services
PoliceBulletin353
17
Warwick police make
connections in the bush
Rural crime in remote areas
can often be difficult to
monitor. Residents on large
properties may not even
realise they have been
targeted by thieves until
long after the offence has
occurred.
Sergeant Greg Moore,
Officer-in-Charge of Texas
Station within Warwick
Police District, decided to
establish a community forum
to encourage people to
discuss security issues and
report crime and alert other
residents of thefts in their
area.
The Rural Crime Forum
was designed to educate
residents, property owners
and the business community
about the reality of rural
crime and equip them with
practical information and
crime prevention strategies
to increase property security.
“In 2008 we detected an
increase in rural crimes. With
such a large, geographically
dispersed area police needed
to take a different approach
to crime prevention by
targeting property owners,”
Sergeant Moore said.
The town of Texas is used as
a service hub by many people
in northern New South Wales,
as the district runs along the
Queensland and New South
Wales border.
“Due to the fact that so
many people frequent the
town, it isn’t always obvious
if outsiders are coming
through,” Sergeant Moore
said.
“Farm equipment, fuel and
livestock is often discovered
missing weeks after a
theft, and some residents
accept the loss rather than
reporting the crimes to
police. It was very important
for us to open up the lines
of communication and
make it easy for crime to be
reported.”
Sergeant Moore invited
residents within a 50
kilometre radius of Texas to
attend the first Rural Crime
Forum, and discovered that
many people were also
interested in online forums.
“We held our first meeting
in February 2009 with around
120 people attending,
including local government
members and residents,
some of whom travelled
almost 140 kilometres to
attend.”
Guest speakers included
members from the Stock and
Rural Crime Investigation
Squad (SARCIS) and the
Community Safety and Crime
and Prevention Branch.
The forum covered crime
prevention technologies
such as Microdots, a system
that allows residents to put
discreet markings on their
items enabling them to
be identified if stolen, and
Farm Cam, a surveillance
system that automatically
photographs vehicles
entering a property.
Residents were educated
on the three ‘R’s—read
the situation and monitor
suspicious activity; record
information including
descriptions and registration
numbers; and report to
police.
The forum gave police
the opportunity to convey
information to property
holders about rural crime
issues in their areas, and then
educate owners about taking
proactive crime prevention
measures to reduce
opportunistic crime.
An email alert system was
introduced, which gives
rural property holders the
opportunity to be advised
of any incidents in their area
by email, and opens a line of
communication between the
farmers and police to gather
information.
“There have been occasions
where groups of thieves
are travelling through rural
areas stealing diesel and
equipment, which may not
be noticed until they are well
out of our district,” Sergeant
Moore said.
“With the introduction of
Rural Crime Forums, local
residents now talk to each
other either in person or by
email, to alert each other and
the police if there has been
any theft on their properties.”
three ‘R’s for rural residents:
- read the situation
- record information
- report to police
Since the success of the initial
pilot crime forum in Texas,
a number of Rural Crime
Forums have been hosted
around the Southern Region,
and SARCIS has adopted the
forums as a crime prevention
initiative to address a variety
of rural crime issues.
Sergeant Tim Hoffmann,
Officer-in-Charge of
Inglewood Station, also
within Warwick District, said
the forums had made an
impact in his division.
“The Rural Crime Forums
have enabled community
members to assist police with
information regarding people
trespassing on properties,
especially kangaroo and pig
shooters, which is a problem
in our community,” Sergeant
Hoffmann said.
“Local property owners are
talking to each other and to
police, and have become
more aware of securing
and monitoring their own
property.
local farmers, and they have
provided vital evidence in
relation to the identity and
prosecution of offenders.”
Sergeant Hoffmann said the
communication lines formed
between the community and
police had raised awareness
of the crime issues faced
within a rural community.
“Knowledge within the
community has increased,
and community members are
talking to their neighbours
and police more, which really
assists us in preventing and
detecting rural crime.
To solve the dilemma of never having pen and paper handy, rural crime forum
participants received notebooks designed to clip onto the back of vehicle sun
visors, enabling them to record details of suspicious activity.
Sergeant Tim Hoffman, Officer-in-Charge of Inglewood
Station, demonstrates the use of ‘Farm Cam’—a
surveillance camera that automatically photographs
vehicles entering a property—to station owner Edward
Frey.
“The forums have been a
great community success
within our division, and I’m
sure they will be beneficial
in all rural areas across
Queensland,” Sergeant
Hoffmann said.
Photos by Senior Constable Mel Canning, Warwick Scenes of Crime.
The
By Claire Hauser, Media and
“A number of Farm Cams
and security devices are
currently being used by
PoliceBulletin353
19
Mornington Islanders
a force to be reckoned with
With a population of just
over 1,000 and located
28km from mainland
Australia in the Gulf of
Carpentaria, it is impossible
for residents to not be a part
of the Mornington Island
community.
And Sergeant Dave Ives,
Officer-in-Charge of the
Mornington Island PoliceCitizens Youth Club (PCYC),
wouldn’t have it any other
way.
Sergeant Ives has spent
the past three and a half
years working with his wife
Trudy and fellow PCYC staff
members to implement a
number of self development
programs on the island.
“Our main focus is youth and
community development,”
Sergeant Ives said.
“We want the kids to be very
proud Mornington Islanders,
but we also want them to
have their foot firmly in the
21st century.”
One of the programs having
great success is the ‘Party
Girls’ group. It started off as
a number of senior women
from the community coming
together for information
sessions on diabetes, but
has since evolved into
an avenue for not only
female empowerment but
community feedback.
The women meet regularly to
participate in everything from
cooking lessons and learning
beauty tips, to discussing
ways of helping young
females on the island.
As Sergeant Ives explains,
“they are a force to be
reckoned with”.
“In many cases they are the
primary carers. They really
are the lifeblood of the
community.”
With women traditionally
afforded little voice, the
Party Girls have found that
collectively, they are able
to speak their mind with
confidence.
Party Girls member Ellen
Roughsey is a community
elder who has lived on the
island her entire life. She said
the group started shortly after
Sergeant and Mrs Ives came
to the island, when many
of the women who were
at the PCYC with children
discovered they enjoyed the
opportunity to have “a yarn”
with each other.
“It’s uplifting. It’s helping
most of us to come out and
join the other ladies,” Mrs
Roughsey said.
She said the PCYC was
playing an important role
in bringing the women
and children of the island
together, and praised the
contribution of Mrs Ives.
“She’s helped a lot of young
people. We like having Trudy
on the island.”
Mrs Ives is a trained beauty
therapist and has assisted
with a number
of the PCYC’s
programs to
help encourage pride in the
island’s female population.
Most recently the PCYC
hosted TAFE teachers from
Ayr to provide a group
of young women with
training for a Certificate III
in Hairdressing. There is
very little industry on the
island outside of the service
industry and the certificates
provide a way for women to
gain a recognisable career.
“It’s part of a program to
develop women’s self-esteem
and confidence. It’s to give
some people that have the
talent the opportunity to seek
either their own business
on the island or enter
mainstream Australian society
and have a skill that they can
get a job with,” Sergeant Ives
said.
“In mainstream Australia, we
leave school, get a job, get
a career, find the love of our
“Basically the people up here
finish school but can’t get a
career. When they meet the
love of their life they end up
living with their brothers and
sisters and their partners. You
can have up to 20 people
living in the one house.”
In addition to these women’s
programs, the PCYC is also
running the Nundili Cultural
Workshop Program and the
Changing the Cycle program,
both of which have been very
successful.
The Nundili Culture Program
involves Police Liaison Officer
and respected local elder
Frank Watt taking community
workshops on everything
from shaping spears to
fishing and traditional
artwork, ensuring this
knowledge is passed on to
the next generation.
Participants respond
positively as it provides an
additional avenue of trust
which may be lacking in their
family, educational and peer
relationships.
In the Changing the Cycle
program, the local children
embark on a series of
activities throughout their day
under the guidance of the
PCYC staff members. From
picking up schoolaged children in the
morning for breakfast
and then from school
to after-school and
evening activities,
the program helps
children live a happy,
healthy and fulfilling
lifestyle.
The program has
had a substantial
positive impact
on the behaviour
and conduct of the
children, which in turn
has benefits for the
entire community.
Youth are diverted
away from the cycle of
anti-social behaviour
towards activities
that promote leadership,
teamwork, health and
wellbeing, all leading to a
stronger attachment to the
community and equipping
them for future leadership
and citizenship roles.
This program was recognised
with a Gold award in the
Crime Prevention category
of the Queensland Police
Service Awards for Excellence
in August.
Reduced crime rates in the
under 16 years age bracket
shows these programs are
working, as Mornington
Island children are not only
exposed
to healthy
lifestyle
habits but
also taught
their cultural
heritage.
Sergeant
Ives said
he thought
the combination of these
programs and other initiatives
were making a difference
in solving problems in the
community.
about at the PCYC is early
intervention to prevent
crime,” Sergeant Ives said.
Photos by Simon Kelly, Media and Public Affairs Branch
life, buy a house and start
having a family.
By Chris Loy, Media and
“It’s crucial for police to
involve themselves with the
community if they are to
make progress. What we’re
(Clockwise from top right) Trudy Ives (right) is a
trained beauty therapist and helps run programs
designed to build confidence among the island’s
female population; the Changing the Cycle program
provides after-school activities and teaches
children to lead a healthy and active lifestyle; an
ocean sunset; the ‘Party Girls’ group is providing
empowerment and a voice for women on Mornington
Island.
PoliceBulletin353
21
Rocky Horror
Road Show
a breathtaking performance
convey to students
was “Don’t be a
statistic”.
The last thing Year 12
students have on their minds
as they cram for final exams,
attempt their driving tests
and plan for Schoolies is the
serious message of road
safety and how it could
potentially impact their lives
beyond any school test.
It was for this very reason that
the Rocky Horror Road Show
Year 12 Harm Minimisation
Project was created in
October 2007 for students in
their final year of high school
across the Ipswich Police
District.
The workshop and chillingly
lifelike role-plays aim to raise
awareness among school
leavers about safe partying,
healthy relationships, drugs
and alcohol misuse, Schoolies
awareness and the stark
reality of car crashes and road
safety.
Ipswich District Crime
Prevention Coordinator and
project manager Sergeant
Nadine Webster was
instrumental in developing
the program. She said the
message she really wanted to
“Schoolies
Week and other
celebrations
are only a short
period out of a
whole lifetime;
nobody wants to see our
young people end their lives
because of one decision to
participate in irresponsible
or intoxicated driving,”
Sergeant Webster said.
“Nor do we want to see
young people have their
to the vehicle becoming
involved in a fatal traffic
crash.
The second part of the
scenario involves the
Emergency Services
attending the crash. The
performance strives to be
uncomfortably lifelike to drive
home what actually happens
at the scene of a traffic crash.
Undertakers and emergency
workers are present as
extraction devices are used
to open the vehicle and
remove the people trapped
inside.
“We want leaving school
to be celebrated as a milestone,
not ended with a tombstone.”
lives forever affected by
the consequences of
irresponsible or intoxicated
driver behaviour, whether it
be a physical, emotional or
criminal consequence.
“We want leaving school
to be celebrated as a
milestone, not ended with a
tombstone.”
The project involves inviting
students from high schools
across Ipswich District to
perform a role-play, which
starts at a party where
everyone is drinking alcohol.
An intoxicated person then
offers to drive his or her
friends home, which leads
The roles are played by key
students selected from each
school, such as class captains
and prefects, which enhances
the dramatic effect and helps
the audience personalise the
message. Full use is made of
special effects such as makeup and fake blood.
Presenters then explain
to students
how the bad
decisions of
the people
involved caused
the crash, and
how better
decisions could
have saved those
lives.
Guest speakers, including
representatives of accident
and emergency services, the
Spinal Injuries Association
and the QPS Forensic Crash
Investigation Unit then
address the students in small
groups.
The program is conducted
every October and is
attended by up to 1,500
school leavers in the Ipswich
district.
This year, the Rocky Horror
Road Show will also be
extended to 16-18-year-olds
who no longer attend high
school but are involved with
a youth service provider.
Other police districts
within Southern Region
and Northern Region are
also considering adopting
the program, with some
students from Dalby, Tara
and Chinchilla attending the
presentation for the first time
last year.
By Kate Stephens
Branch
The community of Mareeba
in far north Queensland has
found the secret ingredient—
unity.
The Mareeba Youth Unified
Consultancy Group (MYUCG)
is a committee represented
by all the providers of youth
services in Mareeba, and
as one, they are working to
overpower the problems
of youth disengagement,
unemployment, antisocial
behaviour and boredom.
Senior Constable Andrew
Osborne, District Crime
Prevention Coordinator for
Mareeba, said the problem
had not been a lack of good
intention, but a lack of
coordination of resources.
“We found that every youth
service agency was acting in
competition with each other,”
Senior Constable Osborne
said.
“Everyone had their own
separate piece of the
funding pie, and with no
communication, there was
a patchwork of services.
Getting everyone to come
together provided the
opportunity for a coordinated
response.
“Working as a committee we
can now identify and act on
Photo by Senior Constable Aaron Hover,
Sometimes, all the
ingredients for change can be
present in a community—the
people, the resources, the
commitment, the will—but it
takes a final critical element
to make the recipe work.
Mareeba Scenes of Crime
The power
of one
emerging issues before
they become community
issues.”
Tablelands Regional
Council (TRC) Youth
Development Officer
Shiralee McHardie said
many agencies in Mareeba
had been working
independently on projects
to try to address youth
issues.
“The Tablelands Regional
Council, the Mareeba Youth
Services and the Queensland
Police Service identified a
need to bring all agencies to
a round table discussion to
work on a strategy that works
for all,” Ms McHardie said.
“The committee has had
remarkable results in
terms of collaboration and
partnerships for funding
opportunities and project
delivery to young people
who are disengaged and at
risk, along with the wider
community of Mareeba.
“I think this group has made
a huge impression in the
community as it works very
hard to achieve positive
outcomes for Mareeba. This
is a committee that is driven
by the need to have a safe
and engaging community for
all its young people.”
Part of the process of
identifying the gaps in
services included consulting
with young people through
youth forums. As a result of
this consultation, Mareeba
now has a skate park
Senior Constable Andrew Osborne, Mareeba District Crime Prevention Coordinator
(right), and Acting Senior Constable Susan Gill, school based police officer for
Mareeba High School, are part of the Mareeba Youth Unified Consultancy Group,
which pools resources to boost outcomes for the town’s young people.
underway, with funds raised
by community members, the
TRC and the Department
of Communities - Sport and
Recreation.
Senior Constable Osborne
said another way the MYUCG
worked together to help
re-engage youth was the
Razzamatazz program.
Doug Hastie, a youth worker
with the TRC, said the park
was currently in the design
phase, with young people
and community members
contributing to the decisionmaking process.
“We work with youth who are
already disengaged—kids
that can’t cope with a normal
educational environment.
The committee works to skill
them up so they can find
employment or find their way
back into the educational
system.
“Many of the young people
like to skate, but there is
nowhere to do it so they
end up on the streets and in
supermarket car parks. They
wanted proper facilities,” Mr
Hastie said.
“We had a concept meeting
recently, and 30 of the local
youth attended. They said
what they wanted and how
they wanted the design. It
was really empowering for
the kids. You could tell by
the body language they had
ownership of the project; they
were in control.”
“Razzamatazz is a program
we run during the school
holidays. Basically, we
provide activities every
day and there are many
success stories. Some kids
have found employment
through it and one of our
participants in the carpentry
workshops has picked up an
apprenticeship.”
Next on the agenda for
the MYUCG is a trip for 50
disengaged or at risk young
people to the Undara Lava
Police-Citizens
Youth Clubs
The Queensland Police-Citizens Youth Welfare Association has been
working for more than 60 years to improve lives, develop communities,
and provide opportunities for young people throughout the state.
The association counts among its successes hundreds of cases where
young people at risk have had positive, life-changing experiences:
The Razzamatazz program at the PCYC teaches skills such
as carpentry to guide young people into employment or back
into the education system.
– Damien, once a juvenile offender, is now an Australian amateur boxing
junior champion and will represent Australia at the Commonwealth
Games in 2010.
Tubes, a majestic volcanic formation in the Gulf
Savannah region (pictured in background).
Senior Constable Osborne said the trip, which was
funded in 2009 and 2008 by the Mareeba PoliceCitizens Youth Club, taught participants about
responsibility, life skills and literacy, along with
Indigenous culture.
“It’s a cultural trip and is tied to literacy and
numeracy but in ways they can relate to. They
have to work out the distance between caves, and
write down the names of the elders of the area. It
touches a chord with them.”
The MYUCG will meet in October to review its
objectives for the next 12 months. With Mareeba’s
community and service providers working together
as one, signs of improvement are already evident
in the town, and the way ahead looks even more
hopeful for its youth.
– Harry, a shy boy who was bullied at school, became involved in a PCYC
development program and is now a confident leader of his peers and
heavily involved in delivering opportunities for others.
– John, who struggled in the classroom and was aggressive in the
schoolyard, attended a PCYC Catalyst camp and is now a confident
young man who supports his peers and is improving his grades at
school.
A partnership between the QPS, Queensland Government, local
businesses and community organisations, the PCYC has evolved from
a single branch at Lang Park in 1948 to a statewide network of 47
branches, with new branches soon to be opened at Ayr, Doomadgee
and Bowen. Each club delivers a range of targeted and diversified
programs to cater for the individual needs of local communities.
Around 60 Queensland police officers are employed full time to manage
and coordinate operations across the state with the support of their
respective branch teams.
By Paula Hedemann, Media and Public Affairs Branch
Queensland Blue Light Association
The Blue Light Association had its
beginnings in 1976 in Victoria, when
police found that teenagers with
no organised entertainment were
frequenting the streets and becoming
involved in petty crime and alcohol and
drug abuse.
The Queensland Blue Light Association
held its first Blue Light Disco on the
Gold Coast in 1982, and today reaches
in excess of 250,000 young people
annually.
The association provides entertainment
and activities free from alcohol,
smoking, drugs and violence for
under-18s, while developing a rapport
between police officers and young
people.
State President Senior Sergeant Steve
Watterson has been involved in the
Queensland Blue Light Association for
more than 17 years, and said he was
proud of its ability to adapt to the youth
of today.
“Blue Light is a way for police officers
to engage with young people
predominantly between the ages of 12
and 17 in a fun and safe environment
built on respect and trust,” Senior
Sergeant Watterson said.
“We are constantly changing with
the times and searching for different
outreach opportunities to get involved
with the local community and most
importantly, the kids.
“For example, we now have 30 Mobile
Entertainment and Recreation Vehicles
that are fully equipped trailers fitted out
with X-boxes, Playstations, barbecues,
televisions, generators and disco
equipment. These vehicles travel to
remote communities and ensure the
kids don’t miss out because of their
location.”
All Queensland Blue Light activities
are run by off-duty police officers and
community members on a voluntary
basis.
PoliceBulletin353
25
Photos by Sergeant Wayne Roberts, Photographic Section
Police partner
with schools
in lessons of life
Carmel Mills always knew she
wanted to work in community
policing, and when a position
became available at a high
school in Logan, she knew
this was the opportunity
she’d been waiting for.
The role of a school based
officer is to provide a police
presence and maintain
positive relationships with
students and their families,
working proactively as
a member of the school
community to discourage
crime within the school and
the local area.
The appointment of a
school based police officer
is initiated through the
Department of Education
and Training in consultation
with the Queensland Police
Service (QPS), and is jointly
funded by Education
Queensland and the QPS.
Mills has been a school
based police officer at Mabel
Park State High School
and Woodridge State High
School for the past two and a
half years. Since she started,
she has immersed herself
in school activities such as
school camps, sports days
and multicultural events.
road safety and road rules,
alcohol and drugs, safe
behaviour and the role of
police in general. I have
come to know many students
and their families, and it has
been wonderful to develop a
positive relationship between
the kids and police and show
them that we are human and
there to help.”
“The school has a very large
multicultural community, and
there are often events within
the school that celebrate
culture and diversity,” Acting
Senior Constable Mills said.
Some pupils are keen to learn
more about what police do
within our community and
Acting Senior Constable Mills
rewards students who show
leadership skills with a unique
experience.
“I have encountered issues
with students who are new to
Australia, who may not realise
there are certain laws and
rules that need to be upheld
that may differ from their
native country.
“I often take lectures,
teaching the kids about
“I take students to QPS
recruit induction parades at
Oxley, so they can see the
academy and the process
of becoming an officer. The
students love going out to
the academy, but as I can
only take two at a time I
make it a reward for good
behaviour,” she said.
The role of a school based
officer is flexible, and
dependent on the needs of
the particular school.
“I believe it’s important to
take a proactive approach
within the school, rather than
being seen in a disciplinary
role. Some of the kids are
apprehensive of police,
and I have no problem
pulling them up if they are
disrespectful to me. On the
whole though, most kids are
very friendly and happy to
talk to me, and appreciate
my presence within their
community.”
A large concern for parents,
teachers and the community
is post-formal parties, which
can get out of hand with
underage drinking and antisocial behaviour.
Mills has tackled this issue at
Mabel Park by introducing
the ‘Mystery Tour’, a concept
that keeps students out of
trouble after their school
formal and is growing in
popularity among south-east
Queensland schools.
“Straight after the formal
we load the kids on to
a bus and take them to
mystery destinations such
as ice skating rinks and laser
skirmish. We continue all
through the night and make
the whole evening really fun,
stopping at McDonalds and
taking lots of photos so the
kids have a keepsake of their
night.
“I love the community
involvement that comes with
my role as a school based
officer. I really feel like I can
make a difference to kids at
a grass roots level, which in
turn benefits them and the
community.”
While school based police
officers are employed full
time to work within schools,
Adopt-a-Cops are police
volunteers who spend their
own time helping out at
primary schools.
attended Nundah State
Primary School, and he was
often seen picking them up
from school dressed in his
uniform.
“The students and parents
would see me picking up my
kids from school, and would
wave to me, and I remember
thinking what a great
community it was,” Acting
Sergeant Lunnon said.
“It was a logical decision for
me to become the Adopta-Cop. I wanted to be a
afternoon and thank me for
educating their children on
speeding, as the kids would
sit in the back seat watching
the speedometer and pipe
up when their parents
exceeded 60 kilometres per
hour. I never knew if they
were being sarcastic or not.
“I think it’s so important to
teach kids from a young age
the difference between right
and wrong. I also felt it was
my responsibility as a police
officer to teach the kids about
personal safety.”
“I guess students go to postformal parties because they
don’t want the night to end,
and if they come on the tour
with us it won’t be ending
until the following morning.”
Acting Sergeant Lunnon
also accompanied the
children on school camps,
trips to Moreton Island,
and school sports carnivals.
At the school swimming
carnival he was always a
member of the parents/
teacher team that competed
against the best swimmers in
the school in a novelty race.
The attendance rate for the
Mystery Tour is exceptional.
Last year, 68 students went to
the formal, and 50 went on
the Mystery Tour. After the
success of last year, they are
expecting an even greater
attendance figure this year.
He helped organise a
community breakfast once a
year, inviting all the locals to
the school while he manned
the barbecue, and he and his
wife would always take a cake
at the end of the school year
for the children.
“The Mystery Tour finishes
back at the school at 5am,
where we hold a carnival on
the oval. By the time the Year
12s go home the following
day they are thoroughly worn
out, but very happy,” Acting
Senior Constable Mills said.
“We get the Year 12 students
involved in fundraising
activities for the tour
throughout the year, so
the cost to each student is
minimal.”
The Mystery Tour is now
running successfully in five
schools around the Ipswich
area and three schools in the
Logan area and several other
schools in nearby districts are
looking into the option.
School based officer Senior
Constable Carmel Mills, pict
ured above and left
with prefects Michael Widziol
ek and Rachel Follon, wor
ks proactively with the
Mabel Park school commun
ity to establish positive rela
tionships with police
and discourage crime with
in the school and local are
a.
Acting Sergeant John Lunnon
of the Traffic Camera Office
was the second Adopt-a-Cop
appointed in Queensland,
and spent 23 years at Nundah
State Primary School before
retiring from the role earlier
this year.
part of the school
community and it allowed me
to meet many families within
the local area and educate
the children about policing
issues.”
The Adopt-a-Cop program
started in 1985 as a means of
building better relationships
between police and children
within the school community.
Acting Sergeant Lunnon said
he would go to the school in
his own time and chat about
issues including protective
behaviours, road rules and
speeding, bullying and seat
belt safety.
In Acting Sergeant Lunnon’s
case, his own children
“Sometimes parents would
come up to me in the
“I found many ways to
incorporate my life as a
police officer into school life.
I still get a kick out of walking
through Toombul Shopping
Centre and having people
say hello to me, because
they remember me from their
primary school days,” he said.
“It makes me very satisfied
to think that I made an
impression on the kids, and I
thoroughly enjoyed my role
within the school. I would
recommend it to any officer,
especially those who have
children at a primary school.”
By Claire Hauser, Media and
PoliceBulletin353
27
Caboolture
confronts domestic
violence case by case
If you were the victim of a
robbery or a random assault,
you would most likely not
hesitate to seek help and see
the perpetrator brought to
justice.
For varied and complex
reasons however, this is
not always the case when
it comes to domestic and
family violence.
Frustrated at their inability to
protect vulnerable families
from ongoing violence,
Caboolture police have
taken a case management
approach to encourage
victims to take greater
advantage of the support
available to them.
Together, Caboolture
District police and the North
Coast Region Projects Unit
initiated Project Prado to
trial the establishment of a
Domestic Violence Integrated
Response Team (DVIRT).
Inspector Matt Wilson, North
Coast Region Projects Unit,
said victims of domestic
and family violence often
found themselves in a cycle
they were unable to escape
without external support.
Photo by Sergeant Wayne Oldham, Caboolture Scenes of Crime
“You need to understand
the dynamics of domestic
violence; it’s about power and
control,” Inspector Wilson
said.
“Once the immediate crisis has passed, victims
may be less motivated to take action, and the
opportunity for positive and lasting change could
be lost. If you can get to the clients while they are
still in a crisis, they are more likely to engage.”
The DVIRT team comprises four members along with High Risk Domestic Violence Liaison Intervention Officer Joanne
McKelvey (left). They are supported in their efforts by the entire Caboolture district including (left to right) Constable Rachel
Lockhart and Inspector Mick Brady.
“The victim is often unwilling
to report the crime or to
carry it through to court.
They may be emotionally
disempowered or physically
battered and feel unable to
stand up to a trial.
“Without evidence, we
can’t take it to court, and
without intervention, nothing
changes. But if the victim is
supported in a positive way,
we may be able to break the
cycle.”
The DVIRT team comprises
four Queensland Police
Service (QPS) members—
three general duties officers
and a District Domestic
Violence Liaison Officer
(DDVLO)—and a High
Risk Domestic Violence
Liaison Intervention Officer
(HRDVIO).
policing responses through
case management and
monitoring at the district
level. The HRDVIO works
directly with victims, following
up in person—accompanied
by the DDVLO—or on the
phone within 24 to 48 hours
of an incident being attended
by the first response officers.
The HRDVIO position is
employed by the Caboolture
Region Domestic Violence
Service, but funded for the
12-month trial period through
the QPS Community Crime
Prevention Fund.
Ms McKelvey acts as an
advocate, not just between
the QPS and the Caboolture
Region Domestic Violence
Service, but the whole
support service sector,
which may include mental
health, counselling, drug
rehabilitation or housing
services. Since her
appointment in January,
victims’ engagement with
services has lifted from three
to 60 percent.
Joanne McKelvey was
appointed as the HRDVIO
in January, and said while
the QPS had a longstanding
policy of referring victims to
support services, for a variety
of reasons, that help was
rarely taken up by the victim.
“In Caboolture there was a
very low rate of engagement
with external support
services,” Ms McKelvey said.
“Police would respond to a
domestic violence incident
and, with their consent,
refer the victims to external
support agencies. But there
was always a gap between
the incident occurring and
the agency making contact,
and the onus was more on
the victim to be proactive in
accessing the services.
“Once the immediate crisis
has passed, victims may be
less motivated to take action,
and the opportunity for
positive and lasting change
could be lost. If you can get
to the clients while they are
still in a crisis, they are more
likely to engage. If you don’t,
there is a chance the violence
will escalate and police will
be back to the same address
again and again.”
The aim of the HRDVIO
position is to support
Relocating three officers to
the DVIRT team, bringing
the partnership element into
domestic and family violence
also has big pay offs for
operational policing services
in the district.
Inspector Mick Brady,
Caboolture District,
said Project Prado had
significantly reduced the
time spent by general duties
officers in dealing with the
administrative aspects of
domestic violence incidents.
“DV incidents were taking
our first response officers
off the road for significant
portions of their shift and we
were constantly reviewing our
strategies,” Inspector Brady
said.
“The DVIRT team now deals
with 30 percent of all DVs in
the district and 100 percent
of the DVs reported over the
counter, allowing the crews to
remain on the road.
“And with personnel rotating
through the team in three
month blocks, we are now
producing a steady stream
of officers with expertise in
DV. I’m hoping over the next
year or so I’ll have enough DV
trained officers going back
into the general duties role
that their expertise is passed
on and utilised.”
While the project is yet to be
officially evaluated, Inspector
Brady said the joint agency
partnership was going from
strength to strength, and
there were encouraging signs
in the community.
“The top five families for
repeat calls have changed
from last year, as the team
has been able to implement
intervention strategies and
engage the appropriate
support agencies.
“It’s taken years to organise,
but we are gradually gaining
the confidence of the
community.”
By Paula Hedemann, Media
and Public Affairs Branch
Volunteers
in Policing
Volunteers in Policing (ViPs) are community members
motivated by a desire to make a positive impact on the
lives of others.
The ViP program has been running statewide since 1998,
and currently around 315 volunteers deliver services
designed to reduce crime and help people feel safe.
The aim of the program is to recruit and train local
community members to perform a range of tasks that
complement, but do not compete with, the established
responsibilities of police officers and staff members.
Typical duties include acting as a community liaison by
being a point of referral for victims to appropriate support
agencies, providing a high profile in the community
among residents who are more vulnerable to or have an
increased fear of crime, and assisting police with public
promotions and displays. When requested, ViPs can help
victims regain a sense of security by making follow up visits
and providing personal safety and home security advice.
ViPs also attend local schools with police officers to
take part in activities such as bicycle marking and crime
prevention talks.
ViPs come from all walks of life and are representative of
their local communities. Driven by the opportunity to help
make a difference, these volunteers are a superb example
of police and the community working together to help
make Queensland a safe and secure place to live, visit and
do business.
PoliceBulletin353
29
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One
When the Queensland
Police Service (QPS) sought
assistance from young
Queenslanders to help
uncover the next creative
advertising idea for the One
Punch Can Kill campaign,
they had no idea the
response would be so great.
The brief was challenging:
develop a great new
advertising concept for the
next round of One Punch
Can Kill advertising that
would cut through to its
target audience, then upload
the idea via an original film,
music clip, image or words
to the campaign’s official
website.
The reward: the bragging
rights to a statewide
advertising campaign, with
the winning entry to form the
basis of radio, cinema and
bus back advertisements.
The winner would also be
given the opportunity to
take part in the production
of the materials, giving
them an insider’s view of the
advertising world.
Young Queenslanders were
given from May 21-July 31
to come forward and share
their thoughts on the best
ways to communicate to
Generation Y.
The results clearly show
Queenslanders are ready
to get behind the cause
and demonstrate support
through their creative talents
and inspirational ideas. With
almost 60 submissions, the
calibre of entries was so high
that the panel of judges
could not narrow it down to
just one winner.
Comprising campaign
stakeholders the Matthew
Stanley Foundation
and the Queensland
Homicide Victims’ Support
Group, along with Gen-Y
communications specialists
Fresh Advertising Agency,
and members of the
Queensland Office of Youth
and the QPS Media and
Public Affairs Branch, the
at a media conference in
September.
Further investigation revealed
that each entrant had a story
to tell behind their creations.
Fourteen-year-old Rhiannon
Perkins first heard about
the competition from her
school notice board. Having
a penchant for art and strong
beliefs about youth violence,
she developed an image
titled In the blink of an eye.
Her entry will form the tag
line of the new campaign.
“People don’t realise the
effects—that a young person’s
life, their dreams and their
goals can be shattered in a split
second.”
official judging panel decided
on four winners.
Police Minister Neil Roberts
announced Rhiannon Perkins
of Joyner, Sophie Halipilias
of Victoria Point, Michael
Stuer of Morningside and
Stephanie Walsh of Cleveland
as the successful entrants
“I think educating kids on
the consequences of youth
violence is one of the best
solutions, as many young
people don’t realise the
repercussions,” Ms Perkins
said.
“A fight can begin and end
so quickly, and that’s what I
wanted to portray through
my entry—that it can all end
in the blink of an eye.”
Michael Stuer, who also
submitted an image, has
a background in youth
counselling and a Masters
degree in social psychology.
Through his work he has seen
first hand the pain caused
to victims, perpetrators and
their families from youth
violence.
“While the pain caused to
victims and their families
seems to be a strong
deterrence in the eye of
the observer, I tried to find
a concept that is actually
focused on the aggressor
and one that speaks to young
people,” Mr Stuer said.
“With my submission I tried
to demonstrate how they
jeopardise their future by
using violence, and get them
to reconsider their attitude
towards it.”
Mr Stuer’s entry Don’t ruin
your future stood out to
the panel of judges as the
clear winner to form the
basis of statewide bus back
advertising. The simplicity of
his design sends a clear and
strong message—one of the
key elements required for this
type of advertising.
The remaining two winning
submissions were films, and
ideas from both have been
adopted as the basis for a
cinema advertisement.
Photo courtesy of Kath Perkins, Joyner
(From left) Sophie Halipilias of Victoria Point, Michael Stuer of Morningside,
Rhiannon Perkins of Joyner, and Stephanie Walsh of Cleveland are announced
joint winners of the One Punch Can Kill competition by Police Minister Neil
Roberts.
One of the film creators,
18-year-old Stephanie Walsh,
said she agreed there was
no magic solution to youth
violence, but believed
the best way to minimise
the impacts was through
education and community
campaigns, such as the
current One Punch Can Kill
campaign.
the competition as a way to
help spread the message
that fighting is simply not
worth the risk.
“Getting youth involved in
spreading the message and
letting them feel like they
are making a difference is
one of the main ways young
people will take notice of the
message,” Ms Walsh said.
“My son Phillip planned
to travel across America
performing his songs and
living the dream. An act of
violence killed that dream.”
“The basic message I wanted
to portray through my entry
was that violence does not
solve anything, but rather
has the potential to cause
mass destruction to an entire
community.”
Michael Stuer’s entry Don’t ruin your future stood out as the clear winner to form the basis of
statewide bus back advertising.
“People don’t realise the
effects—that a young
person’s life, their dreams
and their goals can
be shattered in a split
second,” Ms Halipilias said.
By drawing inspiration
from the community,
Queensland police hope
the One Punch Can Kill
cinema, bus back and radio
advertisements will speak to
young people and deliver the
message that it only takes
one punch to take a life.
Although the fourth winner is
not Gen-Y herself, the panel
of judges was extremely
impressed with Sophie
Halipilias’ moving film Child’s
play.
Statewide advertising began
in September, with online
communications via the
Facebook supporters’ page
and production of ongoing
campaign merchandise also
continuing.
Ms Halipilias knows first hand
what it’s like to have your
life turned upside down as a
result of youth violence. Her
son Phillip tragically lost his
life early last year as a result
of youth violence. She saw
Those who missed out on
submitting an entry into
the competition still have
the opportunity to help
make a difference, with
the interactive element of
Rhiannon Perkins' entry In the blink of an eye will form the tag line of the new advertising
campaign.
the new website extended
indefinitely.
individual experiences and
ideas.
All members of the
Queensland community are
encouraged to go online,
check out the winning entries
and join the fight against
youth violence by sharing
To view the winning entries
or submit an idea, visit www.
onepunchcankill.qld.gov.au
By Katherine Boczynski, Media
PoliceBulletin353
31
Rockhampton
community welfare
organisation Helem Yumba.
breaks the cycle
Breaking the Cycle of
Domestic and Family
Violence is a pilot trial
run by the Department of
Communities, but harnessing
the collective expertise of
that department as well
as the Queensland Police
Service (QPS). The project
links the criminal, legal
and community support
responses for those affected
by domestic violence.
Launched in November 2009,
the 20-month trial centres on
a dedicated team of three
specialists who steer both
victims and perpetrators of
domestic violence to the
potentially life-saving services
and programs provided by
local agencies.
The Breaking the Cycle team
(BCT) comprises Acting
Senior Sergeant Josephine
Griffin from the QPS and two
officers from the Department
of Communities, Peter
Jephcott from Child Safety
Services and Kath Garle,
a Specialist Domestic and
Family Violence Worker.
Acting Senior Sergeant
Griffin worked as a Domestic
Violence Liaison Officer for
five years in Rockhampton
before being selected as a
team member. She said the
district had been chosen as
the site for the pilot trial due
to a number of factors.
“Rockhampton has a well
established network of
support services and the
QPS has good working
In most cases, the team is
put into contact with families
when first response police
officers attend a domestic
violence incident. They
are offered a brochure and
invited to write their contact
details on it for police to
pass on to the BCT team. As
of August 30, 576 families
“We don’t aim for the stars.
We just try to make people’s lives
a bit better.”
Photo by Senior Constable Mark Linwood, Rockhampton Scenes of Crime
Government and nongovernment agencies in
Rockhampton District have
teamed up in a unique
project to help improve
the safety and wellbeing
of people affected by
and change the attitudes
and behaviours of those
perpetrating it.
Breaking the Cycle team member Acting Senior Sergeant Josephine Griffin (left)
and Magistrate Annette Hennessy are representative of the ground swell of
cooperation between criminal, legal and community support agencies trying to
break the cycle of domestic and family violence in Rockhampton.
relationships with the nongovernment organisations,”
Acting Senior Sergeant Griffin
said.
“There is also a special
court set up to deal with
the high rate of this type of
crime within the community.
Magistrate Annette Hennessy
has worked hard to get the
perpetrators on to behaviour
management courses, and
we support what the court is
doing.”
had been referred to the
BCT team, mostly by police,
but also from child safety
services, court support
services and Legal Aid
Queensland.
Once in contact with a family,
the team assesses which type
of support would be most
appropriate, and coordinates
the delivery of those services.
Funding is provided for some
of these services, including
Anglicare CQ, Centrecare,
Relationships Australia QLD,
Women’s Health Information
and Referral Service, and
The project also funds
intensive case managers for
families with complex issues,
and security upgrades to
allow women and children
to feel safe in family homes
where the perpetrator has
moved out.
Acting Senior Sergeant Griffin
said that so far, 158 families
had gone on to access
support services.
“This may not sound like a
lot, but in terms of DV cases,
they are good numbers.
That is 158 families we
would not have been able to
help otherwise, and we are
starting to see some good
results.
“The magistrate reports
that 90 percent of the firsttime offenders in her court
are already undergoing
behaviour management
courses by the time she sees
them. And yes, there are
still domestic violence order
breaches happening, but
those breaches are becoming
less violent.”
While working in such a field
can be difficult, Breaking
the Cycle of Domestic and
Family Violence is slowly but
steadily carving inroads into
a seemingly insurmountable
problem.
“It’s very exciting. Often,
people that work with
domestic violence think that
nothing is going to work, but
we are seeing results.
“We don’t aim for the stars.
We just try to make people’s
lives a bit better.”
By Paula Hedemann, Media
Plain Clothes Constable
Nicole Flynn works with the
Mount Isa Child Protection
Investigation Unit (CPIU),
and is well aware of the
challenges of preventative
child protection, particularly
in remote communities.
“In smaller communities, it
can be difficult for a child to
know who they can talk to,
because sometimes the right
person to talk to might know
the offender,” Plain Clothes
Constable Flynn said.
“Knowing that can be very
intimidating for children,
especially when they’re
already scared.”
With that in mind, Mount
Isa CPIU launched ‘Kids Out
West—Need Protection Too’,
an educational endeavour
aimed at giving children
across remote Queensland
the tools and confidence to
speak out.
“We have travelled to all of
the schools in the Mount Isa
District in the past 12 months,
from Birdsville to Mornington
Island,” Constable Flynn said.
“We have fun and interact
with the kids on their level.
The presentations involve
a lot of participation from
the audience, and we really
encourage the kids to get
involved.
“The aim of the presentation
is to encourage children to
choose suitable adults that
they feel comfortable talking
to. We tell them they need
to be adults and they need
to be people they think
will listen to them, believe
what they are saying and do
something to make them feel
safe again.”
Plain clothes consta
bles Aimee Moncur
(left) and Nicole Fly
Child Protection Inv
nn of the
estigation Unit visit
schools throughout
District as part of the
Mount Isa
‘Kids Out West—Ne
ed Protection Too’ pro
ject.
In addition to talking to the
students, members of the
project team also talk to
school teachers, principals,
local police and directors of
nursing in each community,
and discuss their roles
regarding child protection.
“We’ve found that some
people have been unaware
of their obligations regarding
child protection, so to
provide that information
alone has been invaluable.
“It has also been an excellent
networking strategy. We
provide contact details for
the CPIU Mount Isa office,
and tell them they are
welcome to call anytime if
they need assistance.”
Plain Clothes Constable Flynn
said the response from these
communities to the project
had been overwhelmingly
positive.
“Many of the adults we’ve
spoken to have been glad
to finally have someone
to speak with about their
concerns, and we’ve been
more than happy to oblige,”
she said.
“When offences against
children occur, many think
they cannot talk to anyone
or that if they do, no one will
believe them. This project
has given the kids in these
remote communities the
knowledge that there are
many people out there who
will help them, and nothing
has made me happier than
knowing that.”
By Tim Larkin, Media and
Photo courtesy of Bird
No matter where they live,
children will always be the
most vulnerable people in
society. Great strides have
been taken in recent years to
help children at risk find the
protection they need, but in
some remote townships of
Queensland, those avenues
are not so apparent.
sville State School
Mount Isa
police give
kids a voice in
remote towns
Photo by Sergeant Clint Hanson, Photographic Section
Trevor O’Hara, Crime Stoppers Queensland Chief Executive Officer,
and Acting Senior Sergeant Brook Dwyer, Officer-in-Charge of the
Crime Stoppers Police Unit, personify the interdependent relationship
between the Queensland Police Service and the community. The
partnership enables the public to be actively involved in fighting
crime by passing on information, which is then investigated by police.
Empowering the
community to help
fight crime
Nineteen murders and 19
attempted murders are
among the many thousands
of crimes solved with the
help of information given
anonymously to Crime
Stoppers Queensland over
the past 20 years.
Introduced to Queensland in
1989, the charity organisation
celebrated its 20th anniversary
last year, and counts among
its successes more than
19,200 arrests and over
$9 million in stolen property
recovered.
While members of the
investigate the anonymous
reports provided, many
people do not realise the
body is in fact a community
organisation with 400
volunteers around the state.
Crime Stoppers Queensland
Chief Executive Officer
Trevor O’Hara said the
partnership between the
police and the community
enabled members of the
public to pass on information
anonymously, empowering
them to play an active role in
fighting crime.
tool in the fight to solve crime
“Crime Stoppers has become
the public’s most effective
numbers by 50 percent by
in Queensland,” Mr O’Hara
said.
“Our volunteers really are
making a difference to
the community. We are
continually looking to grow
our volunteer base however,
and hope to increase our
2020.”
Acting Senior Sergeant Brook
Dwyer, Officer-in-Charge of
the Crime Stoppers Police
Unit, said she knew first hand
the value of the community
organisation in facilitating the
flow of information from the
public to the police.
“It’s essential for providing an
avenue for people to provide
information to the police
anonymously,” Acting Senior
Sergeant Dwyer said.
“People provide us with
intelligence such as the
names of suspects, car
registration numbers,
descriptions of stolen
property or the hiding places
of drugs. The more detail
they can give us, the better.”
“Crime Stoppers does not
trace or record the phone
calls so people can ring
without worrying about
police going back and finding
out who they are.”
anonymously through
SMS and MMS, as well as
developing an application for
iPhones, iPods and iPads.
Mr O’Hara said Crime
Stoppers Queensland was
also exploring a number
of new ways to involve the
community in assisting police.
One initiative launched
earlier this year is the Reunite
Service.
The service is designed to
quickly reunite dependent
loved ones with their parents
or caregiver if they become
separated at public events
such as festivals.
For a small fee, community
members can register a child
or elderly person in their care,
and receive an identification
card for that person as well as
a matching wristband.
“If mum or dad or the carer
loses the registered person,
they can pull out this face
The Crime Stoppers
concept was created in the
small town of Albuquerque
in the USA in 1976 by
Detective Greg MacAleese.
He was investigating the
death of a 19-year-old
man shot during an armed
robbery with no apparent
witnesses.
Convinced someone must
have seen something and
determined not to leave
the man’s murder a mystery,
he set about creating a video re-enactment of the crime.
Detective MacAleese offered anonymity, as well as a
reward, to encourage witnesses to come forward.
Within a few hours his plan had worked, with a witness
providing vital information that would lead to the solving
of this crime. Such was the community’s willingness to
embrace the service, information regarding other crimes
was also phoned through.
From there the concept spread around the world, with
Victoria becoming the first state in Australia to adopt the
service in 1987.
“Crime Stoppers
has become the public’s most
effective tool in the fight
to solve crime in Queensland.”
When members of the
public call Crime Stoppers
Queensland, they are
allocated a code number so
they can provide information,
check on the progress of
an investigation or collect a
reward while keeping their
identity secret.
Late in 2006, Crime Stoppers
Queensland introduced an
online reporting website that
safeguards the anonymity
of users, while allowing
investigators to interact by
posting specific questions
to a user. The organisation
is currently investigating
ways of communicating
card which will help police
and security locate the right
person efficiently,” Mr O’Hara
said.
“If a member of the
community stops to assist
someone who is lost, they
can see the wristband with
the wording ‘Please contact
Crime Stoppers’, and we can
quickly contact their carers.”
“It’s about reducing that
trauma period when they are
separated.”
By Chris Loy,
Branch
Neighbourhood Watch was first developed in the USA in
the early 1970s and has become both a philosophy and an
approach to working together as a community to reduce
crime and enhance community safety. The Neighbourhood
Watch symbol is internationally recognised within
communities.
The program has been operating in Queensland since
1988. With around 540 active groups, Neighbourhood
Watch Queensland (NHWQ) has a strong and committed
volunteer base.
NHWQ encourages communities to join together in
small informal groups to improve the safety of their
families and other people who live, visit and do business
in their neighbourhood. It also encourages interaction
and a shared sense of responsibility between individuals,
neighbours and communities for preventing and reducing
crime.
The support the Queensland Police Service provides
NHWQ is one example of a partnership approach focused
on building safer and more secure communities.
PoliceBulletin353
37
If it’s not happening now,
think Policelink
Danny leaves work at 11pm
and strides quickly to his
vehicle, eager to get home
to watch the game. He turns
the corner of Best Street.
Only a few more minutes now
and he will be easing himself
into the plush leather seat
of his black Holden Monaro,
his new CD thumping as he
cruises home.
but no offender in sight; a
shop owner arrives at work to
find graffiti splattered on the
shop front; a woman leaves
her handbag behind in a taxi;
a man forgets to take his
mobile phone with him when
he leaves the bar.
He crosses the road. Rounds
the last bend. Then stops
in his tracks and gulps in
the crisp night air. There is
nothing more than a trail of
burnt rubber scarring the
bitumen where his car was
once parked.
Policelink is the latest
initiative in the Queensland
Police Service’s ongoing
commitment to provide
every Queenslander with a
more proactive, high quality
policing service.
Shocked, and then angry,
Danny reaches into his
pocket for his mobile phone.
He takes a moment to
compose himself, and before
he dials, thinks Policelink.
1v2
A woman arrives home to find
her front door wide open, her
valuable possessions gone
If it’s not happening now,
think Policelink.
The dedicated, multi-channel
contact centre provides
community members with an
additional way to report nonurgent incidents including
wilful property damage,
stealing offences, break and
enter, stolen or unlawful use
of motor vehicles and lost
property.
Policelink aligns Queensland
with the national 131 444
number for non-urgent police
assistance and operates 24
hours a day, seven days a
week.
times and enhanced client
service to the community and
members.
Policelink Manager Acting
Superintendent Greg Flint
said Policelink Client Service
Officers received and
processed requests from the
community for non-urgent
police assistance, including
selected property crime
reports, reports for lost
property, and some requests
for non-urgent police
attendance. Client Service
Officers also assist with
general enquiries such as
crime prevention information.
“For example, if a tradesman
who has had tools stolen
from the back of his ute
chooses to report the theft to
Policelink instead of an officer
attending the scene, this will
directly enhance community
safety through time being
reinvested into other
operational priorities.”
“The cost of the call is
charged at the local call rate,
although mobile phones
are dependent on their
service provider,” Acting
Superintendent Flint said.
“The service provided by
Policelink will moderate
the demand on operational
police, resulting in improved
front line police response
By Karen Downey,
Policelink

Bulletin 353 - Queensland Police Service

Transcription

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