Police presence on the Sunshine Coast is set to go to new heights with the addition of a helicopter.
The state government will provide the Queensland Police Service with funding to establish a chopper for the region, on the back of advice from police and strong advocacy from local MPs. A helicopter is also on the way to Wide Bay.
The QPS will now embark on a procurement process to secure an appropriate aircraft and operator.
Premier Steven Miles said the helicopters would have a significant impact in fighting crime.
“Sunshine Coast and Wide Bay communities have unfortunately experienced a number of very serious stolen vehicle incidents,” he said.
“It’s these sorts of events that an aerial police capability can intercept, reducing the likelihood of further offending or a tragic outcome.
“That’s why we’re taking strong action by providing local police with a Polair helicopter in the Community Safety Plan.
“If the helicopter in Townsville is anything to go by, I’m confident this new chopper will make a big difference in keeping Queenslanders safe across the region.”
Police Minister Mark Ryan said he was proud the service could extend its Polair capabilities to accommodate an increase in population.
“The Sunshine Coast and Wide Bay are fast-growing regions and that’s not going to stop,” he said.
“We need to continue to enhance our investments in community safety.”
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Caloundra MP Jason Hunt said the helicopter announcement was “great news for people on the Sunshine Coast”.
“I’ve heard first-hand from police just how much difference a Polair helicopter makes to police operations on the ground in Townsville,” he said.
“To see that same aerial police capability coming to the Sunshine Coast is very gratifying.”
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Member for Nicklin Rob Skelton expected the new resource to make an impression.
“As police say, a Polair helicopter capability makes a very real difference to their ground operations,” he said.
“It makes challenging police operations safer for the community and safer for the police on the ground.”
Commissioner of Police Steve Gollschewski said the helicopters on the Sunshine Coast and Wide Bay would be key crime fighting resources.
“Aerial assets are a game-changer in the way police track offenders, search for missing people and gain extensive situational awareness from above,” he said.
