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The Queensland Police Service (QPS) is the principal law enforcement agency responsible for policing the Australian state of
Queensland Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a States and territories of Australia, state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Austr ...
. In 1990, the Queensland Police Force was officially renamed the Queensland Police Service and the old motto of "Firmness with Courtesy" was changed to "With Honour We Serve". The headquarters of the Queensland Police Service is located at 200 Roma Street,
Brisbane Brisbane ( ; ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and largest city of the States and territories of Australia, state of Queensland and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia, with a ...
. The current
Commissioner A commissioner (commonly abbreviated as Comm'r) is, in principle, a member of a commission or an individual who has been given a commission (official charge or authority to do something). In practice, the title of commissioner has evolved to incl ...
is Stephan (Steve) Gollschewski. The Commissioner reports to the Minister for Police, presently Daniel Purdie.


History

Queensland Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a States and territories of Australia, state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Austr ...
came into existence as a colony of the
British Empire The British Empire comprised the dominions, Crown colony, colonies, protectorates, League of Nations mandate, mandates, and other Dependent territory, territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It bega ...
on 1 December 1859. The region was previously under the jurisdiction of the New South Wales governance with towns policed by small forces controlled by the local magistracy. ''The Police Act of 1838'' (2 Vic. no. 2) which officially codified a variety of common behaviours as criminal and regulated the police response to them, continued as the template for policing. On 13 January 1860, Edric Norfolk Vaux Morisset was appointed the Inspector-General of the Queensland Police. Queensland was divided into 17 districts, each with its own police force headed by a Chief Constable under authority of a local magistrate. The position of Inspector-General was abolished soon after it was established, in July 1860, and most of the operations of the police until 1863 reverted to the control of local police magistrates and justices. The Queensland Police underwent a major reform in 1864 and the newly re-organised force commenced operations with approximately 143 employees under the command the first Commissioner of Police, David Thompson Seymour. The service had four divisions: Metropolitan Police, Rural Police, Water Police, and
Native Police Australian native police were specialised mounted military units consisting of detachments of Aboriginal Australians, Aboriginal troopers under the command of European officers appointed by British colonial governments. The units existed in va ...
. At the turn of the century there were 845 men and 135 Aboriginal trackers at 256 stations in Queensland.


1900s

In 1904 the Queensland Police started to use
fingerprint A fingerprint is an impression left by the friction ridges of a human finger. The recovery of partial fingerprints from a crime scene is an important method of forensic science. Moisture and grease on a finger result in fingerprints on surfa ...
ing in investigations. In the 1912 Brisbane general strike the Queensland Police were used to suppress striking workers. The first female police officers, Ellen O'Donnell and Zara Dare, were inducted in March 1931 to assist in inquiries involving female suspects and prisoners. Following
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
a number of technological innovations were adopted including
radio Radio is the technology of communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 3  hertz (Hz) and 300  gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmitter connec ...
for communication within Queensland and between state departments. By 1950 the Service had a staff of 2,030 police officers, 10 women police and 30 trackers. In February 1951, a central communication room was established at the Criminal Investigation Branch in Brisbane.


1960s and 1970s

On 14 May 1963, the Juvenile Aid Bureau was established. In 1965 female officers were given the same powers as male officers. The Queensland Police Academy at Oxley,
Brisbane Brisbane ( ; ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and largest city of the States and territories of Australia, state of Queensland and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia, with a ...
, was completed in 1972. Bicycles were phased out in 1975 and more cars and
motorcycle A motorcycle (motorbike, bike; uni (if one-wheeled); trike (if three-wheeled); quad (if four-wheeled)) is a lightweight private 1-to-2 passenger personal motor vehicle Steering, steered by a Motorcycle handlebar, handlebar from a saddle-style ...
s were put into service. The Air Wing also became operational in 1975 following the purchase of two single-engine aircraft.


1980s

The decade was a turbulent period in Queensland's political history. Allegations of high-level
corruption Corruption is a form of dishonesty or a criminal offense that is undertaken by a person or an organization that is entrusted in a position of authority to acquire illicit benefits or abuse power for one's gain. Corruption may involve activities ...
in both the Queensland Police and State Government led to a judicial inquiry presided over by Tony Fitzgerald. The Fitzgerald Inquiry which ran from July 1987 to July 1989 led to charges being laid against many long-serving police, including Jack Herbert, Licensing Branch Sergeant Harry Burgess, Assistant Commissioner Graeme Parker and Commissioner Terry Lewis. Lewis was jailed and served ten and a half years. The Fitzgerald Inquiry also led to a
perjury Perjury (also known as forswearing) is the intentional act of swearing a false oath or falsifying an affirmation to tell the truth, whether spoken or in writing, concerning matters material to an official proceeding."Perjury The act or an insta ...
trial against former Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen, which ended with a
hung jury A hung jury, also called a deadlocked jury, is a judicial jury that cannot agree upon a verdict after extended deliberation and is unable to reach the required unanimity or supermajority. A hung jury may result in the case being tried again. Thi ...
. The Director of Public Prosecutions elected not to pursue a retrial due to Bjelke-Petersen's age and health. It was later revealed that the jury foreman for the trial was a member of the Young Nationals and identified with the 'friends of Joh' movement. The Criminal Justice Commission was established in 1989 by the ''Queensland Criminal Justice Act 1989'', following widespread corruption amongst high-level Queensland politicians and police officers being uncovered in the Fitzgerald Inquiry. It has since merged in 2002 with the Queensland Crime Commission to form the Crime and Misconduct Commission. The Criminal Justice Commission was responsible for significant research into the Queensland Police Service. A new
computer A computer is a machine that can be Computer programming, programmed to automatically Execution (computing), carry out sequences of arithmetic or logical operations (''computation''). Modern digital electronic computers can perform generic set ...
ised message switching system was put into use throughout Queensland in 1980. At the time it was one of the most effective police communication systems in Australia.


1990s

The ''Police Powers and Procedures Act 1997'' was passed by the Queensland Government on 1 July 1997 and took effect 6 April 1998. Law enforcement equipment introduced in the 1990s include oleoresin capsicum (OC) spray, the
Smith & Wesson Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc. (S&W) is an American Firearms manufacturer, firearm manufacturer headquartered in Maryville, Tennessee, United States. Smith & Wesson was founded by Horace Smith (inventor), Horace Smith and Daniel B. Wesson as the ...
revolver firearm and later the
Glock Glock (; stylized as GLOCK) is a brand of polymer- framed, short-recoil-operated, striker-fired, locked-breech semi-automatic pistols designed and produced by Austrian manufacturer Glock Ges.m.b.H. The firearm entered Austrian military an ...
semi-automatic pistol, the long 26" baton to the 21" extendable baton, and linked to hinged
handcuffs Handcuffs are Physical restraint, restraint devices designed to secure an individual's wrists in proximity to each other. They comprise two parts, linked together by a Link chain, chain, a hinge, or rigid bar. Each cuff has a rotating arm whi ...
in 1998, and Light Detection and Ranging (
LIDAR Lidar (, also LIDAR, an acronym of "light detection and ranging" or "laser imaging, detection, and ranging") is a method for determining ranging, ranges by targeting an object or a surface with a laser and measuring the time for the reflected li ...
) laser-based detection devices and an Integrated Traffic Camera System in 1999 to enforce traffic
speed limit Speed limits on road traffic, as used in most countries, set the legal maximum speed at which vehicles may travel on a given stretch of road. Speed limits are generally indicated on a traffic sign reflecting the maximum permitted speed, express ...
s.


2000s

The ''Police Powers and Responsibilities Act 2000'' came into force in July 2000 which consolidated the majority of police powers into one Act. The Queensland Police contributed to the national CrimTrac system and the National Automated Fingerprint Identification System ( NAFIS), established in 2000. The ''Crime and Misconduct Act 2001'' commenced 1 January 2002 and redefined the responsibilities of the Service and the Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC) with respect to the management of complaints. The CMC also has a witness protection function. The CMC has investigative powers, not ordinarily available to the Queensland Police, for the purposes of enabling the commission to effectively investigate particular cases of major crime.Crime And Misconduct Act 2001 - Section 5
''. Queensland Consolidated Acts. Retrieved on 4 July 2011.''
The CMC also has the power to investigate cases of misconduct in the Queensland public sector, particularly the more serious cases of misconduct. In 2013, the CMC became the Crime and Corruption Commission. In 2002 there were 8,367 police officers (20.2% female) and 2,925 staff members at 321 stations, 40 Police Beat shopfronts and 21 Neighbourhood Police Beats throughout the state. By 2004 the Service had grown to 9,003 police officers (21.8% female) and 2,994 other staff members. As at 30 June 2016 there were 11,971 police officers (26.3% female) and 2,794 other staff members. The
Taser Taser (stylized in all caps) is a line of handheld conducted energy devices (CED) sold by Axon Enterprise (formerly Taser International). The device fires two small barbed darts intended to puncture the skin and remain attached to the targe ...
conducted electrical weapon (CEW) was trialled by some officers in 2006 and was eventually issued in 2009. In mid-2007, approximately 5,000 officers participated in the Pride in Policing march through
Brisbane Brisbane ( ; ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and largest city of the States and territories of Australia, state of Queensland and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia, with a ...
.


2010s

In 2013 following a change in
government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a State (polity), state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive (government), execu ...
, another government department named the Public Safety Business Agency was created. This was following a recommendation of the Keelty review into police and community safety operations. Human resources, information technology and other divisions were transferred from the Service and other departments to the new agency. In mid-2016, some services were moved back to the Service. Eight geographic regions (Far Northern, Northern, Central, North Coast, Metropolitan North, Metropolitan South, Southern, and South Eastern) was reduced to five (Northern, Central, Southern, Brisbane, South Eastern). Some statewide functions and administrative divisions were also adjusted. Following the G20 political forum, the Service created its third unit citation. The other two Queensland Honours citations were the ' flood and cyclone' (2011) and the 'QP150' (2014) for the Service's sesquicentennial year. The Queensland Police marked 150 years of service to the State of Queensland on 1 January 2014. In 2015 the Commissioner approved officers and staff members to march in the Brisbane Pride Festival as part of showing organisational diversity, and accessibility of policing services to the LGBTI communities.


2020s

In February 2020, an organisational restructure was announced; but a month later, staffing then being diverted to support the health response to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
, including border closures, and maintaining quarantine hotels. Early in 2021, due to two separate incidents, a new 'Youth Crime Taskforce' was formed under an assistant commissioner, and another section was elevated to command level to become the Domestic, Family Violence and Vulnerable Persons Command. A commission of inquiry was created in May 2022 to examine policing responses to domestic and family violence prevention, with an August appearance of Commissioner Carroll. The commission was told of a lack of staffing of the Domestic, Family Violence and Vulnerable Persons Command compared to other areas, of discrimination within the organisation, and of senior officers' racist and misogynistic behaviour. A deputy commissioner resigned the next day. In October 2022, following a review by State Disaster Coordinator Steve Gollschewski (then a deputy commissioner, later Commissioner), it was announced the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) would be dissolved in June 2024, resulting in the largest reform of emergency services in Queensland since 1990. The Queensland Fire and Rescue Service along with the Rural Fire Service would form the Queensland Fire Department, with a new central headquarters. On Monday 3 June 2024 the State Emergency Service (SES) was moved to the Queensland Police Service; along with the Volunteer Marine Rescue and the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard Queensland, becoming the new Marine Rescue Queensland (MRQ) and therefore made part of the Queensland emergency services.


Criticisms

The Queensland Police Special Bureau was formed on 30 July 1940 and renamed Special Branch on 7 April 1948. It was criticised for being used for political purposes by the Bjelke-Petersen government in the 1970s and 1980s, such as enforcing laws against protests (sometimes outnumbering the protesters or using provocateurs to incite violence so the protesters could be arrested) and investigating and harassing political opponents. It was disbanded in 1989 following a recommendation by the Fitzgerald Inquiry into
police corruption Police corruption is a form of police misconduct in which a law enforcement officer breaks their political contract and abuses their power for personal gain. A corrupt officer may act alone or as part of a group. Corrupt acts include taking ...
. Special Branch records were shredded. In 1991, an arrest was recorded by journalist Chris Reason on live TV. In the video, a plain clothes officer and other officers are seen restraining a man and putting him in the back of a car. The man was reportedly an international criminal from Europe but it was later found to be some one else. This was an embarrassment for the QPS and it came to be known as ' Democracy Manifest'. In 1994 six police officers, becoming known as the ' Pinkenba Six', took three Aboriginal boys from Fortitude Valley and left them at Pinkenba as an unofficial way to punish the boys for suspected offences. The police officers were charged with abduction but were subsequently acquitted in court; the police service put them on twelve months probation for their errors of judgement. The Service has been accused of
institutional racism Institutional racism, also known as systemic racism, is a form of institutional discrimination based on Race (human categorization), race or ethnic group and can include policies and practices that exist throughout a whole society or organizati ...
after its fierce support of Senior Sergeant Chris Hurley who stood trial for the 2004 assault and manslaughter of Mulrunji Doomadgee. Senior Sergeant Hurley was initially subject of a Coronial Inquest by Coroner Christine Clements where he was found to have a case to answer despite conflicting medical evidence. The Director of Public Prosecutions Leanne Clare refused to place Senior Sergeant Hurley on trial for lack of evidence. After reviewing the evidence the Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC) also found that there was insufficient evidence to prosecute for wrongdoing. The Queensland Attorney General Kerry Shine ordered a review despite advice from the State Solicitor-General Walter Sofronoff QC highlighting the lack of evidence. A review by New South Wales Former Chief Justice Sir Laurence Street found there was a case to answer. Senior Sergeant Hurley was found not guilty by a jury in the Townsville Supreme Court and the findings of the Coronial Inquest were subsequently overturned by the Queensland District Court. The District Court ruled that Coroner's finding '...was against the weight of the evidence'. Also in 2006 and 2008 footage was caught of police beating homeless men after they were pinned to the ground. It came a year after a report by organisations including the Queensland Council of Social Service (QCOSS) and community groups such as the Red Cross, which detailed widespread harassment by police of the socially vulnerable. Approximately 75% of interviewees made such claims, but the report was ignored by the government. Police Minister Judy Spence said of the report 'At a cursory glance, it looks like a compendium of views from nameless, homeless people'. In 2008, the CMC investigated an officer after he used a Taser on a restrained teenage girl at South Bank, but recommended the officer only receive 'managerial guidance'. The incident was also against police policy to use tasers on minors. Police later charged the girl with breaching a move on order, but the case was thrown out with the magistrate criticising police's over-reaction. A subsequent inquiry by the CMC into the use of the TASER by the Queensland Police Service found there was no systemic abuse of the device by officers, despite the chairman saying the incident 'showed a concerning pattern within QPS towards the handling of policing incidents'. CCTV video footage was released, delayed by possible civil action, showing the girl lashing out and kicking the officer, knocking the Taser out of his holster before he used it as she was held on the ground by two security guards. In June 2009 a man died after allegedly being tasered by Queensland police 28 times. The policeman in question claimed the deceased was tasered a much lower number of times, suggesting the device was making erroneous readings. The coronial inquest later found this not to be the case, and that the officer tasered the man 28 times for up to five seconds at a time. In early 2010 searches were made by the CMC (Crime and Misconduct Commission) on police stations in Queensland. The results of the searches and interrogations of police officers are being kept confidential, but come less than a year after a CMC report claiming: :the evidence revealed an attitude on the part of a not insignificant number of police officers, and their supervisors, that it was acceptable to act in ways that ignored legislative and QPS policy requirements, that were improper, and in some cases were dishonest and unlawful. Based on past experiences, the CMC had no confidence that the attitudes of those police officers would change without the pressure of public exposure. The CMC report focused on police corruption, and not
police brutality Police brutality is the excessive and unwarranted use of force by law enforcement against an individual or Public order policing, a group. It is an extreme form of police misconduct and is a civil rights violation. Police brutality includes, b ...
that accounted for ten times as many complaints in
Surfers Paradise Surfing is a list of surface water sports, surface water sport in which an individual, a surfer (or two in Glossary of surfing, tandem surfing), uses a board to ride on the forward section, or face, of a moving wind wave, wave of water, whic ...
– 130 reports to 13 in the 18 months to March 2010. In 2016 several human rights organisations signed an open letter calling for a public investigation the Queensland Police Service, and for preventative measures to be implemented against police abuse. Queensland police were criticised for using excessive force against protesters in 2021. Arising from an earlier Women's Safety and Justice Taskforce, in May 2022 a commission of inquiry was announced to examine policing responses to domestic and family violence prevention, with possible systemic cultural issues within the organisation, and whether there was the capability, capacity, and structure to respond to the violence. Giving evidence in August 2022, Police Commissioner Carroll accepted 'there was a problem within QPS with misogynistic and disrespectful views towards women affecting how police officers responded to domestic and family violence'. In October 2022, there were calls for reforms and deeper investigations into Queensland police by figures such as Opposition MP David Crisafulli and human rights activist Gracelyn Smallwood.


Regions

Between 1991 and 2013 there were eight geographic regions (Far Northern, Northern, Central, North Coast, Metropolitan North, Metropolitan South, Southern, and South Eastern), three commands (State Crime Operations, Operations Support, and Ethical Standards), and four divisions (Human Resources, Finance, Administration, and Information Management). As of 2017, there are seven police regions and eight commands in the State of Queensland, each under command of an assistant commissioner. By 2020, there were four administrative areas, each overseen by a deputy commissioner organizing the respective regions and commands as such: Regional Operations (Northern, Central, Brisbane, Southern, and South Eastern), Specialist Operations (Community Contact Command, Intelligence, Counter-Terrorism and Major Events Command, Operations Support Command, State Crime Command, Road Policing Command, and Commonwealth Games Group), and Strategy, Policy and Performance (Crime and Corruption Commission Police Group, Ethical Standards Command, Legal Division, Organisational Capability Command, and People Capability Command). The regions were further divided into districts and further still into divisions. A new government department, the Public Safety Business Agency, existed from 2013 to 2021 which took over the portfolios of human resources, finance, administration, education and training, and information technology). By 2023, with the announced incorporation of the Disaster & Emergency Management into the QPS from the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, the QPS Organisation Structure took on the following form: * Regional Operations ** Far Northern Region ** Northern Region ** Central Region ** North Coast Region ** Brisbane Region ** South Eastern Region ** Southern Region * Regional Services ** Operations Support Command ** Road Policing and Regional Support Command ** Domestic, Family Violence and Vulnerable Persons Command ** People Capability Command ** Communications, Culture and Engagement Division * Strategy and Corporate Services ** Finance Services Division ** Frontline and Digital Services ** Human Resources Division ** Health, Safety and Wellbeing Division ** Organisational Capability Command ** Policy and Performance Division * Specialist Operations ** Crime and Intelligence Command ** Crime and Corruption Commission Police Group ** Security and Counter-Terrorism Command ** Legal Division ** Ethical Standards Command ** Internal Audit ** Chief Risk Officer ** Youth Crime Task Force *Disaster and Emergency Management **Reform Implementation Task Force **State Disaster Coordinator **Disaster Response and Management **Olympic Games Group *State Discipline *Special Coordinator – Police and Emergency Services Reform


Ranks and structure

The Queensland Police Service has two classes of uniformed personnel: police officers ('sworn' and 'unsworn'), and staff members (public servants, including police liaison officers, watchhouse officers, protective services officers and pipes and drums musicians). Both classes wear the same blue uniform with shoulder patches. As of 2015 all police officer rank insignia changed to an 'ink blue' background with insignia embroidered in white. There has been the addition of a 'recognition of service' horizontal bar between rank insignia and the words 'Queensland Police' for officers who have been on rank for a particular length of time. This 'recognition of service' is only for the ranks from senior constable to senior sergeant. In 2023 the rank of chief inspector was reintroduced into the Service. Rank insignia is worn only by uniformed officers. Prior to mid-2009, only officers at the rank of inspector and above (commissioned officers) had the words 'Queensland Police' embroidered on their epaulettes, however new uniform mandates saw the introduction of the words 'Queensland Police' on all epaulettes issued to police officers after this date. The epaulettes of commissioned officers are significantly larger than the epaulettes of lesser ranks. Different salary bands apply within the same rank commensurate with years of service. Officers relieving at a higher rank temporarily wear the epaulettes of the higher rank. Police recruits wear a light blue epaulette with embroidered 'POLICE RECRUIT'. Police recruits undertaking the PACE program wear a dark blue epaulette with no embroided text. Police officers and other members may be eligible to wear
Queensland Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a States and territories of Australia, state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Austr ...
and Australian honours.


Constable ranks

*
Constable A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions. ''Constable'' is commonly the rank of an officer within a police service. Other peo ...
(plain blue) ** Special constable (plain blue with text "Special Constable") * Senior constable (two embroidered chevrons) ** Leading senior constable (title; two embroidered chevrons with two bars underneath)


Sergeant ranks

*
Sergeant Sergeant (Sgt) is a Military rank, rank in use by the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and in other units that draw their heritage f ...
(three embroidered chevrons) * Senior sergeant (embroidered crown with laurels)


Commissioned ranks

*
Inspector Inspector, also police inspector or inspector of police, is a police rank. The rank or position varies in seniority depending on the organization that uses it. Australia The rank of Inspector is present in all Australian police forces excep ...
(three pips) ** Chief inspector (one crown) (re-introduced as a title in 2023) * Superintendent (one crown and one pip) *
Chief superintendent Chief superintendent is a senior rank in police forces, especially in those organised on the United Kingdom, British model. Rank insignia of chief superintendent File:Sa-police-chief-superintendent.png, South Australia Police File:RCMP Chief S ...
(one crown and two pips) * Assistant commissioner (crossed tipstaves with laurels) * Deputy commissioner (one pip and crossed tipstaves with laurels) *
Commissioner A commissioner (commonly abbreviated as Comm'r) is, in principle, a member of a commission or an individual who has been given a commission (official charge or authority to do something). In practice, the title of commissioner has evolved to incl ...
(one crown and crossed tipstaves with laurels)


Staff member epaulettes

Several staff member roles wear a uniform similar to police officers. In 2016 the State Government Protective Security Service (SGPSS), then under the Department of Public Works, was transferred to the Queensland Police Service and renamed the Protective Services Group. Protective services officers are sworn or affirmed staff members, and wear an ink-navy shirt with a maroon-coloured police shoulder patch with 'Protective Services' above it, and maroon epaulettes. Staff member uniform includes: * assistant watchhouse officers (grey epaulettes stating 'watchhouse officer') * pipes and drums musicians (hard board epaulettes and with pipes and drums wording) * police liaison officer (PLO) (yellow epaulettes with embroidered 'POLICE LIAISON OFFICER' or 'SENIOR POLICE LIAISON OFFICER'; a 'Police Liaison Officer' hat badge, with a yellow-chequered hat band) * protective services officer (maroon epaulettes with embroidered 'PROTECTIVE SERVICES' and 'PROTECTIVE SERVICES OFFICER' OR 'SENIOR PROTECTIVE SERVICES OFFICER'. Additionally, horizontal white bars indicate the officer's public service pay grade.) * Torres Strait Island police liaison officer (green/white/blue epaulettes with embroidered 'TORRES STRAIT ISLAND POLICE LIAISON OFFICER' and rank) Chaplains, whilst not employed by the Service, wear a uniform with purple epaulettes with embroidered 'POLICE CHAPLAIN'.


Specialist areas

Officers must serve a minimum of three years in general duties before being permitted to serve in specialist areas such as: * Child Protection and Investigation Unit (CPIU), formerly the Juvenile Aid Bureau (JAB) * Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB) * Dog Squad * Explosive Ordnance Response Team (EORT) * Forensic Crash Unit, formerly the Accident Investigation Squad (AIS), and before that, the Traffic Accident Investigation Squad (TAIS) * Forensic Services Branch *
Mounted Mount is often used as part of the name of specific mountains, e.g. Mount Everest. Mount or Mounts may also refer to: Places * Mount, Cornwall, a village in Warleggan parish, England * Mount, Perranzabuloe, a hamlet in Perranzabuloe parish, Co ...
Unit * Police Prosecutions Corps (PPC) * Railway Squad * Scenes of Crime * Special Emergency Response Team (SERT) * Major and Organised Crime (Rural) (MOCS), formerly Stock and Regional Crime Investigation Squad (SARCIS), formerly the Stock Squad * Taskforce Maxima (investigating, disrupting and dismantling outlaw motorcycle gangs) *
Highway Patrol A highway patrol is a police unit, detail, or law enforcement agency created primarily for the purpose of overseeing and enforcing traffic safety compliance on roads and highways within a jurisdiction. They are also referred to in many countri ...
, formerly road policing units (RPU), formerly Traffic Branch * Intelligence analyst * Water Police * Public Safety Response Team (PSRT), including the Mobile Response Capability (MRC) * District Education and Training Office (DETO) * Police Citizens Youth Club (PCYC) * Tactical Crime Squad (TCS) * Rapid Action and Patrol (RAP) * , relating to helicopters and remote pilotless aircraft, separate to a police airwing which are fixed wing transport aircraft.


Leadership


Commissioners

The following list chronologically records those who have held the post of Commissioner of the Queensland Police Service.


Chief officers


Equipment

Standard equipment issued and worn on duty belt or load-bearing vest by a uniformed police officer: * Glock 22 pistol .40-calibre, with three magazines (45 rounds of ammunition) * Extendable baton () concealed within pouch * Lithgow Arms SAF-LOK Mark 5 hinged
handcuffs Handcuffs are Physical restraint, restraint devices designed to secure an individual's wrists in proximity to each other. They comprise two parts, linked together by a Link chain, chain, a hinge, or rigid bar. Each cuff has a rotating arm whi ...
*
Motorola Motorola, Inc. () was an American multinational telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois. It was founded by brothers Paul and Joseph Galvin in 1928 and had been named Motorola since 1947. Many of Motorola's products had been ...
APX 8000 radio and radio pouch * OC (oleoresin capsicum) spray within pouch *
Axon An axon (from Greek ἄξων ''áxōn'', axis) or nerve fiber (or nerve fibre: see American and British English spelling differences#-re, -er, spelling differences) is a long, slender cellular extensions, projection of a nerve cell, or neuron, ...
TASERs (X26, TASER 10) *
Axon An axon (from Greek ἄξων ''áxōn'', axis) or nerve fiber (or nerve fibre: see American and British English spelling differences#-re, -er, spelling differences) is a long, slender cellular extensions, projection of a nerve cell, or neuron, ...
Body 2, Flex 2, Body 3 body worn cameras (BWC) *
Apple An apple is a round, edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus'' spp.). Fruit trees of the orchard or domestic apple (''Malus domestica''), the most widely grown in the genus, are agriculture, cultivated worldwide. The tree originated ...
iPads and iPhones to access the operational computer QPRIME, given the name 'Q LiTE'. * Load bearing vest Officers, if necessary, can access the Remington Patrolman R4 carbine service rifle if qualified. Supplier of belt and pouches i
TripleB
Leathercraft and Tote Systems. Other equipment provided to officers include: * Maglite * Lightweight medic gloves and voice recording devices An equipment vest was created called the general accoutrement vest (GAV) which proved extremely unpopular and rarely used by officers, and in the 2010s was replaced by the load bearing vest (LBV) which is worn by most operational officers. The LBV was designed to transfer the weight from the hips to the torso, and held the radio, handcuffs and OC spray. In early 2023, an integrated load-bearing vest (ILBV) was being rolled out to replace the LBV, and included an overt ballistic vest into one vest, designed to increase officer safety, as well as visibility. Body-worn video technology was introduced following a trial in 2015. The TASER 10 was introduced in 2024.


Fleet

In the 1980s to 2010s, the
Holden Commodore The Holden Commodore is a series of automobiles that were sold by now-defunct Australian manufacturer Holden from 1978 until 2020. They were manufactured from 1978 to 2017 in Australia and from 1979 to 1990 in New Zealand, with production of ...
, Ford Falcon and Toyota Aurion made up most of the fleet of both general duties and highway patrol operations. In more recent years the ceasing of Australian-produced models has meant overseas alternatives. The Hyundai Sonata have been used as general duties vehicles, while the Subaru Levorg and Kia Stinger have been employed for use as highway patrol vehicles. Hyundai iLoads and modified Toyota Hiluxes are used as prisoner transport vehicles, or commonly referred to as " paddy wagons". File:AUS'S police car (2).jpg,
Holden Commodore The Holden Commodore is a series of automobiles that were sold by now-defunct Australian manufacturer Holden from 1978 until 2020. They were manufactured from 1978 to 2017 in Australia and from 1979 to 1990 in New Zealand, with production of ...
Evoke File:Police Truck (30880263980).jpg,
Isuzu D-Max The Isuzu D-Max is a pickup truck manufactured since 2002 by Isuzu. A successor of the Isuzu Faster/KB, the first and second-generation model shares its platform with the Chevrolet Colorado. The third-generation model shares its platform wi ...
'paddy wagon' File:Queensland Police Vehicles 01.jpg, Hyundai iLoad (rear) and Hyundai ix35 (front) File:Queensland Police - Kia Stinger.jpg, Kia Stinger Highway Patrol File:QPS Yamaha FJR motorcycle.jpg, Yamaha FJR1300 File:Queensland Police vessel entering Scarborough marina-1=.jpg, Queensland Police patrol boat File:QPS Xmas 2018 road safety launch MG 8637 (cropped).jpg, Polair 2 File:Townsville District Tactical Crime Squad (TCS) Senior Constable John Robinson.jpg, Polair
Townsville The City of Townsville is a city on the north-eastern coast of Queensland, Australia. With a population of 201,313 as of 2024, it is the largest settlement in North Queensland and Northern Australia (specifically, the parts of Australia north of ...
The Toyota Camry Hybrid and Kia Sorento Hybrid has become the primary general duties vehicles in metropolitan areas, replacing the remaining Holden Commodores, as well as older Hyundai Sonatas. Queensland Police aims to have a 100% hybrid sedans and SUV fleet by 2025. In 2023, US-built
pickup truck A pickup truck or pickup is a Truck_classification#Table_of_US_GVWR_classifications, light or medium duty truck that has an enclosed cabin (truck), cabin, and a back end made up of a cargo bed that is enclosed by three low walls with no roof (th ...
s have been spotted in service, with vehicles such as the
Chevrolet Silverado The Chevrolet Silverado is a range of trucks manufactured by General Motors under the Chevrolet brand. Introduced for the 1999 model year, the Silverado is the successor to the long-running Chevrolet C/K model line. Taking its name from the to ...
being utilised by the Mounted Unit. The SERT (Special Emergency Response Team) unit also has two specialised armoured vehicles, Lenco BearCats, at its disposal for use in riot control and other potentially dangerous situations throughout the Brisbane/South Eastern and northern police regions, with one vehicle stationed in Brisbane and
Cairns Cairns (; ) is a city in the Cairns Region, Queensland, Australia, on the tropical north east coast of Far North Queensland. In the , Cairns had a population of 153,181 people. The city was founded in 1876 and named after William Cairns, Sir W ...
each. Additionally, the EORT (Explosive Ordnance Response Team) in 2017 purchased a Lenco BombCat, a bigger and stronger vehicle based on a BearCat. From 1996 to 2015, nominated vehicles were fitted with other 200 in-car computers supplied by the state transport department, the Mobile Integrated Network Data Access
MINDA
units. From April 2012, automatic number plate recognition technology was fitted to road policing unit vehicles, follow earlier trials. Queensland Police has received its first police helicopter, based on the Gold Coast in 2012. The helicopter was used for a six-month trial period. The highly anticipated $1.6 million Bell 206 Long Ranger has already been hailed a success, assisting police in 24 different dispatches in its first three days of operation, and will be used extensively during major events such as Schoolies Week and the Gold Coast 600. The helicopter is fitted out with state-of-the-art equipment such as infrared and thermal imaging cameras, and other equipment based on the NSW Police Force helicopters. A second helicopter a BO 105 was introduced by July 2014 in time for the G20 summit in November, responsible for patrolling Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast. The helicopters have Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) and Searchlight (TRAKKA beam) capabilities. In January 2024 the Queensland Government announced the arrival of a third helicopter allocated to the Far North, to be based in
Townsville The City of Townsville is a city on the north-eastern coast of Queensland, Australia. With a population of 201,313 as of 2024, it is the largest settlement in North Queensland and Northern Australia (specifically, the parts of Australia north of ...
, alongside a $13 million ( AUD) role-out of digitally encrypted radios in the region. This new air capability consisted of a leased Airbus EC135T2 while a permanent system was procured. In a first for an Australian police department, Queensland Police have purchased numerous
unmanned aerial vehicle An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or unmanned aircraft system (UAS), commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft with no human pilot, crew, or passengers onboard, but rather is controlled remotely or is autonomous.De Gruyter Handbook of Dron ...
s (UAVs, also known as 'drones') which have already been used for surveillance purposes in numerous situations where sending in officers is deemed too risky such as during sieges or hostage rescue operations. They can also be used to aerially examine crime scenes. Queensland Water Police operate three purpose-designed
patrol vessels A patrol boat (also referred to as a patrol craft, patrol ship, or patrol vessel) is a relatively small naval ship, naval vessel generally designed for Coastal defence and fortification, coastal defence, Border control, border security, or law ...
and numerous smaller rigid-hulled inflatable boats.


Officers killed in the line of duty

* 12 December 2022: Constables Matthew Arnold and Rachel McCrow were killed in a shooting
ambush An ambush is a surprise attack carried out by people lying in wait in a concealed position. The concealed position itself or the concealed person(s) may also be called an "". Ambushes as a basic military tactics, fighting tactic of soldi ...
in Wieambilla, near Dalby, southern Queensland. A neighbour was also killed, and two other officers injured. * 26 June 2021: Senior Constable David Masters, 53, was struck and killed by a stolen vehicle on the Bruce Highway in Burpengary, north of Brisbane. * 29 May 2017: Senior Constable Brett Forte was shot and killed at Adare, north of Gatton, after attempting to apprehend a suspected offender. The gunman, Rick Maddison, was shot and killed the next day by police while trying to escape after a siege in a farmhouse at Ringwood, north-west of Gatton. On 8 June 2018, the police helicopter Polair 2 was named Brett A. Forte in his honour. Polair 2 had provided air support during the siege. * 29 May 2011: Detective Senior Constable Damien Leeding (CIB) was shot when he confronted an armed offender at the Pacific Pines Tavern on the Gold Coast. Leeding died in hospital on 1 June three days after being shot. * 1 December 2010: Sergeant Daniel Stiller, 33, was killed when his motorcycle collided with a jack-knifing truck on the Bruce Highway while on 'wide load' escort duty. * 18 July 2007: Constable Brett Irwin, 33, was shot while executing an arrest warrant for breach of bail at Keperra, in northwest Brisbane. * 22 August 2003: Senior Sergeant Perry Irwin, 42, was shot while investigating reports of gunfire in bushland at Caboolture, north of Brisbane. * 21 July 2000: Senior Constable Norman Watt, 33, was shot during an armed stand-off at Alton Downs near
Rockhampton Rockhampton is a city in the Rockhampton Region of Central Queensland, Australia. In the , the population of Rockhampton was 79,293. A common nickname for Rockhampton is "Rocky", and the demonym of Rockhampton is Rockhamptonite. The Scottish- ...
, Central Queensland. * 21 May 1996: Constable Shayne Gill, Struck by a motor vehicle while on radar duty on the Bruce Highway near Glasshouse Mountains. * 29 June 1989: Constable Brett Handran was shot attending a domestic dispute in Wynnum, in east Brisbane. * 29 July 1987: Senior Constable Peter Kidd was shot in a raid at
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...
, in north Brisbane. * 29 February 1984: Constable Michael Low was shot attending a domestic dispute at North Rockhampton, central Queensland. * 2 November 1975: Senior Constable Lyle Hoey was deliberately run down by a car near Mount Molloy in North Queensland. * 9 April 1969: Senior Constable Colin Brown was shot while investigating the behaviour of a farm employee on a property near Dayboro, north of Brisbane. * 27 March 1968: Constable Douglas Gordon was shot attending a domestic disturbance at Inala, in south Brisbane. * 26 October 1964: Senior Constable Desmond Trannore was shot attending a domestic disturbance near Gordonvale, North Queensland. * 14 February 1963: Senior Constable Cecil Bagley was electrocuted when he tried to rescue a neighbour being electrocuted in his car at Mount Gravatt, south Brisbane. Although at home, his death was deemed to have occurred while on duty because, as a police officer, he was always expected to respond in an emergency situation. * 16 August 1962: Constable Douglas Wrembeck stopped to question a motorist in South Brisbane and was killed when he was struck by a car driven by a hit-and-run driver. * 19 February 1962: Constable Gregory Olive was shot in the chest at close range when he knocked on a front door to make inquiries at Kelvin Grove, Brisbane. * 1 April 1956: Constable First Class Roy Doyle died in hospital at Mackay from head injuries sustained when he hit a submerged block of concrete while attempting a rescue in the flooded Pioneer River at Mackay on 29 March 1956. * 28 November 1938: Constable George Robert Young of the water police was one of four men on a
RAAF The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is the principal aerial warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Australian Army. Constitutionally the governor-general of Aus ...
amphibious aircraft which crashed killing all on board. They were searching for the body of missing woman Marjorie Norval in the estuaries of Moreton Bay when the aircraft hit high tension wires. * 6 August 1930: Constable Ernest James Dawson was on traffic duty on the Yungaburra Road near Lake Barrine when he lost control of his motorcycle. Despite emergency surgery which appeared initially successful, complications arose and he died in Brisbane General Hospital on 18 January 1931. * 27 September 1906: Sergeant Thomas Heaney died at South Brisbane from head fractures sustained when he was hit multiple times over the head with a metal bar during an arrest on 7 June 1905 at Woolloongabba, Brisbane. * 23 December 1905: Constable Albert Price was stabbed while making an arrest at Mackay. * 16 September 1904: Constable First Class Charles O'Kearney was knocked down by a horse being deliberately ridden towards him in retaliation for an arrest in Laidley. * 29 March 1903: Acting Sergeant David Johnston was killed by being hit on the head with an axe by a prisoner in the watchhouse at Mackay. * 30 March 1902: Constable George Doyle was shot while attempting to capture the Kenniff brothers, who had a long history of stealing cattle and horses, in Upper Warrego. * 2 July 1895: Senior Constable William Conroy was stabbed several times trying to prevent a man from stabbing the man's wife on Thursday Island. * 6 September 1894: Constable Edward Lanigan was shot in the chest while trying to prevent another policeman from being shot during an arrest at Montalbion (a mining town near Irvinebank). * 10 May 1894: Constable Benjamin Ebbitt died at South Brisbane having never recovered from an assault during an arrest on 9 November 1890 at
Croydon Croydon is a large town in South London, England, south of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Croydon, a Districts of England, local government district of Greater London; it is one of the largest commercial districts in Greater Lond ...
. * 4 February 1893: Constable James Sangster, 25, drowned while attempting a rescue of two members of the Jackson family during the 1893 flood of the Bremer River at North Ipswich. He is commemorated by the James Sangster Memorial at North Ipswich, which was initiated by the Jackson family and funded by public subscription. * 27 October 1889: Senior Constable Alfred Wavell was shot at Corinda (southwest of Burketown) by a man who had escaped from the Normanton lock-up. * 26 January 1883: Constable William Dwyer was struck on the head by a tomahawk by an Aboriginal near Juandah Station via Taroom. * 24 January 1883: Cadet Sub-Inspector Mark Beresford was speared in the thigh and hit on the head by Aboriginals in the Selwyn Ranges to the south of Cloncurry. * 24 September 1881: Sub-Inspector Henry Kaye was speared through the chest by Aboriginals at Woolgar gold fields (100 km north of Richmond). * 24 January 1881: Sub-Inspector George Dyas was found buried after being speared in the back by Aboriginals while he camped near the 40 Mile Waterhole near Normanton. * 6 November 1867: Constable Patrick Cahill and Constable John Power were poisoned and shot in the head at the Mackenzie River Crossing while escorting a consignment of bank notes and bullion from
Rockhampton Rockhampton is a city in the Rockhampton Region of Central Queensland, Australia. In the , the population of Rockhampton was 79,293. A common nickname for Rockhampton is "Rocky", and the demonym of Rockhampton is Rockhamptonite. The Scottish- ...
to Clermont.


See also

* Crime in Brisbane * Crime in Australia * Lucas Inquiry * Queensland Council for Civil Liberties * History of the Queensland Police


Notes


References


Attribution

This article was originally based on material fro
Queensland Police Commissioners
© State of Queensland (Queensland Police Service) 2019, released under CC-BY-4.0br>licence
accessed on 23 April 2019.


External links


Queensland Police Service

Dangerous Liaisons – CMC investigation, July 2009
* G. E. Fitzgerald (1989
"Report of a Commission of Inquiry Pursuant to Orders in Council" ''Commission of Inquiry into Possible Illegal Activities and Associated Police Misconduct''
Queensland Government Printer.
Two books about crime and corruption in the Queensland police
– Gold Coast Writers Association, 2014.
Queensland Police Service: Disaster management and social media: a case study
* {{Authority control 1864 establishments in Australia Emergency services in Queensland Law enforcement agencies of Queensland