News
15 April, 2024
‘Polair to fight crime' for regional safety
THE Sunshine Coast and surrounds should be given police helicopter capabilities to combat rising crime levels, according to Caloundra MP, Jason Hunt.
THE Sunshine Coast and surrounds should be given police helicopter capabilities to combat rising crime levels, according to Caloundra MP, Jason Hunt. Mr Hunt and Nicklin MP Rob Skelton argue that the recent introduction of a police chopper in Townsville should be replicated on the Sunshine Coast in order to take “community safety to a whole new level”.
“We take our jobs as the voices of Sunshine Coast people very seriously which is why this week while in Brisbane for Parliament we will be meeting with the Police Minister (Mark Ryan) to advocate for the Sunshine Coast to have access to police helicopter capability,” Mr Hunt and Mr Nicklin write.
“We’ve been keeping a close eye on what police have been doing to crime in Townsville, and by all reports the new helicopter has made a massive difference to community safety in that city. “It’s that sort of resource when coupled with more police which can have a huge impact.”
Townsville received a EC135 twin engine “PolAir” helicopter in January this year to combat surging crime in the area.
The aircraft has infrared technology and moving map and vehicle tracking technology to assist in fighting crime in the far north.
The Labor MP’s write that community safety “has been the core of everything we’ve done since being elected to represent you in the seats of Caloundra and Nicklin”.
“Keeping people safe is in our DNA, between the two of us we have been about community safety our whole lives, whether serving in the military and corrective services or protecting people and property as a firefighter.
“And both of us have continued to do everything we can to keep our communities safe since being elected, fighting hard for extra police and resources.”
Those include a new emergency services precinct, including a police station in Aura.
The pair also took aim at Facebook and social media in general for enabling young offenders to post their crimes in feeds.
“This must stop,” they wrote. “These social media companies must ban these videos and take them down straight away if they are posted - removing the platform to publicise these harmful acts and deter copy cat crimes.”
Opinion P14
