Police HQ welcomes back Lew
IT’S a homecoming of sorts for the new head of the Darling Downs District Crime Group.
Taking the reins from the now-retired Dave Isherwood, Detective Inspector Lew Strohfeldt is back at home on the Range after six years heading up the Ipswich Crime Group.
And he’s happy to be back. “I was the officer in charge of the Child Protection and Investigation Unit from the beginning of 2001 until the end of 2008,” he said.
“I transferred to Brisbane and for the past six years I’ve been the detective inspector overseeing the crime group for Ipswich.”
There’ll be no easing into the new role for the second-generation cop who in his first week has overseen investigations into an alleged armed robbery at Southbrook and a tragic shooting accident at Stanthorpe.
“Every town, every district has its challenges
❝ There’s a lot of good police and a lot of good people in the community. — Lew Strohfeldt
and everywhere has significant crime,” he said.
“I think the Darling Downs district police are well-placed to tackle any crime that is committed.
“There’s a lot of good police and a lot of good people in the community, and even though I’ve been gone for 10 years, I’ve still got lot of good contacts here to work with, and it’s a good place to live.”
Solving and reducing property crime, as well as violent offences against the person will be a key focus for the new lead detective.
“I’m happy to be here and I’ll continue to work with the police in the district to solve and reduce crime, and that’s our job as investigators,” he said.