Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll today announced the details of extra police officers being deployed across the Far North.
It's part of the biggest investment in policing in Queensland in more than 30 years, an investment that is delivering more than 2,000 extra police personnel.
It's an investment the Police Commissioner says will further enhance the Queensland Police Service's capability to not just respond to and investigate crime but, importantly, to also disrupt and prevent criminal behaviour.
As part of the record investment over 5 years from 1 July 2020, the Commissioner announced a further 7 positions would be added to the Tablelands region and will be deployed to the Child Protection Investigation Unit and the Criminal Investigation Branch.
And there will be an extra two police officers deployed to Kuranda and another four officers deployed to Mareeba.
The investment in new police will eventually deliver a minimum of 150 extra police officers to each police region across the state, including the Far North.
The Police Commissioner said the investment in police was unlike any other she had witnessed in her career.
"This is a very significant investment the government is making in extra police personnel.
"With so many extra officers being recruited, trained and deployed across the state it means that we can further enhance our capability to support community safety in every corner of the state."
The Member for Cook, Cynthia Lui, welcomed the Commissioner's announcement.
"Everything the government does ultimately is about safer, healthier and more prosperous communities right across the state.
"It's tremendous to see the Commissioner allocating extra police resources to support the communities in my region.
"I will always advocate strongly for extra support for my community."
Member for Barron River, Craig Crawford, said the extra police showed the government's commitment to Far North Queensland.
"The Palaszczuk Government makes it a priority to make sure that every Queenslander has access to the services they need.
"And we are seeing this watershed investment in extra police resources doing just that, ensuring that Queenslanders in my home region in the Far North are getting the extra police to support community safety."
Police Minister Mark Ryan who was travelling in the Far North with the Commissioner said it was the Commissioner's responsibility to allocate the extra police resources as she and her senior staff saw fit.
"I know that the Commissioner and her top-ranking officers across the state have a very good understanding of the most effective and efficient deployment of the growing number of officers in the Queensland Police Service.
"Community safety always comes first and that is why the government is making this historic $600 million-plus investment in police.
"And it's why the government is further backing police with a $300 million police infrastructure pipeline to ensure police have the facilities and infrastructure they need as the service expands and grows."
