- Townsville police have demonstrated the effectiveness of Polair helicopter capabilities in assisting regional police operations
- Government MPs from other regions came to Townsville to see Polair capability first hand
- MPs are calling for an expansion of Polair capability to key regions
Townsville police have delivered a comprehensive demonstration of the benefits delivered by having a Polair helicopter capability in a regional setting.
Government MPs from other regions travelled from other regions to see first-hand the benefits such an investment can deliver.
Police advise that Polair capability can significantly enhance police operations in regional areas.
Polair helicopters deliver advanced camera, thermal imaging and night vision capability.
Polair Townsville is deployed on a daily basis to assist police operations including tracking offenders, surveillance operations and search and rescue missions.
The aircraft has been deployed 177 times already.
Government MPs from the Sunshine Coast, Wide Bay and Cairns regions are calling for an expansion of this capability to their communities.
Quotes attributable to Premier Steven Miles:
"When the Queensland Police Service provided the government with advice that they had found a way to resolve the airspace constraints that had previously made it unviable to operate a dedicated Polair helicopter in Townsville, the government responded immediately.
"We expanded the QPS Polair capability to Townsville, and it is clearly having a dramatic impact on the effectiveness of police operations.
"It was important for MPs from other areas to get a proper insight into the benefits of this capability and the government will give due consideration to the calls for Polair to be established in other parts of the state."
Quotes attributable to Police Minister Mark Ryan:
"Polair is a success story and I am very proud the government has invested so heavily in providing police with this operational capability.
"Townsville police explained very clearly today the benefits Polair's operations bring to police on the ground, including greater safety for police and the broader community.
"With Polair capability there is nowhere for fleeing offenders to hide, they are tracked, located and arrested."
Quotes attributable to Townsville MP Scott Stewart:
"I want to thank the Premier and the Police Minister for delivering the Polair for Townsville.
"It's clear in talking to our local police that it's already having an impact in terms of increasing our police forces capability to keep the community safe."
Quotes attributable to Thuringowa MP Aaron Harper:
"The Miles Government has a strong record of supporting police with the equipment and resources they need to help keep Queenslanders safe.
"Delivering Polair capability for Townsville is just another example where we are backing our frontline police.
"Polair can get anywhere in Townsville in just 7 minutes and is already making a big difference for police operations across our city."
Quotes attributable to Mundingburra MP Les Walker:
"Polair in Townsville is making a difference and increasing the capacity of our police to track and catch offenders.
"For every person in Townsville, we have your back and the Miles Government is ensuring our frontline police officers have all the tools they need to crack down on crime."
