Last week, member for Mount Ommaney, Jess Hugh MP, and Acting Deputy Commissioner Deb Platz welcomed 37 new Protective Security Officers (PSO) to the Queensland Police Service (QPS).
The state's newest PSOs were inducted into the Service after successfully completing the four-week Protective Services Group (PSG) training program at the QPS Academy at Oxley.
This is the first PSG recruit course designed specifically for the purpose of Covid-19 quarantine functions at purpose-built quarantine facilities.
The QPS assumed responsibility for the PSG in 2016, which is an operational unit of the Security and Counter-Terrorism Command providing effective and ethical security services to Queensland Government clients across the state.
Acting Deputy Commissioner Platz said the Protective Security Officer training program had been recently reviewed and now included new elements to reflect the current security environment.
"Protective Security Officers provide services including static guarding, mobile patrols, alarm monitoring, vulnerability risk assessments and the issuing of Government ID cards," Deputy Commissioner Platz said.
"With the review of the course, the training now includes additional skills and capabilities to apply contemporary protective security methodology, perform operational tactics and work safely within the public safety and security environment.
"PSOs are part of the frontline of the QPS ensuring the security within state government buildings, therefore their training in counter terrorism, intelligence, incident management and emergency response capability is essential."
Initially, the new PSOs will perform hotel quarantine duties to assist with the QPS Covid-19 frontline response before taking up duty at the Queensland Government's Wellcamp Quarantine Facility in Toowoomba in February.
