Police liaison officers (PLOs) will be based at the Council’s Esplanade office as part of a two-year trial to reduce anti-social incidents in the CBD.
A joint initiative of the Council and the Queensland Police Service, the trial is being launched as part of the CBD Community Safety Plan – Pilot 2022-2026.
Approved by Council in June, a key intervention strategy outlined in the Community Safety Plan was the deployment of “social connectors” to engage with the homeless/sleeper cohort.
PLOs are expected to be able to participate successfully in this capacity as they are culturally appropriate and trained to provide intervention options.
To further cement the partnership, Council will provide PLOs with a high visibility vehicle for exclusive use in the CBD.
Cairns Mayor Bob Manning said the partnership with the Queensland Police Service demonstrated a proactive approach to tackling anti-social behavior in the city.
“It is well known that anti-social behavior can have a significant social, cultural and economic impact on the city,” Cr Manning said.
“We recognize that while policing is a State Government responsibility, the Council can play a role in supporting traders, businesses, tourism operators and the community to tackle this issue.
“I am sure that having police liaison officers in the city and patrolling the CBD as part of their wider remit will be welcomed by residents and businesses.
“Providing a vehicle to PLOs will allow them to respond quickly to incidents, and because it will be highly visible, it can also act as a passive deterrent.”
Superintendent Chris Hodgman said: “The move of the Far North District Cross Cultural Unit to the Cairns CBD is another example of the collaborative efforts of both organizations to improve community safety.
“Police Liaison Officers embedded in the Intercultural Liaison Unit do a fantastic job providing that channel between the community and the police.
“They help build cultural capacity and while the logistical and planning aspects of the Police Liaison Officer roles are still in their infancy, this partnership between Queensland Police and Cairns Regional Council will benefit the community.”
The City Council will assume the operating costs of the Esplanada office and the supply of the vehicle for the two-year trial period.
/ Public communication. This material from the original organization/authors may be ad hoc in nature, edited for clarity, style and length. The views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s). See in full here.