Coomera cops at breaking point: Union

COOMERA police are “burnt out and morale has plummeted”, and the fastest-growing area in the state desperately needs 50 more officers.

Writing in the latest Police Journal, Queensland Police Union southeast region representative Phil Notaro asked if the State Government was really serious about fighting crime.

“I’m not sure where they all are, but at the coalface, in general duties and CIB and CPIU, we are haemorrhaging,” Senior Sergeant Notaro wrote.

“The police (at Coomera) simply can’t keep up with the calls for service. The troops are burnt out and morale has plummeted.”

Sen Sgt Notaro said Coomera needs 50 more cops now while acknowledging “that is the growth for the whole state”.

He accused the government of employing an extra 27,000 public servants, paying some departmental heads $500,000plus salaries yet slashing $46 million from the police budget.

Assistant Commissioner Brian Wilkins said numbers in Coomera had increased by 12 officers and two full-time RAP teams with about another 20 officers based there.

“I also allocated four of the five first-year constables which were for Gold Coast District to Coomera. Ongoing support is also provided to Coomera Division from other policing resources within Gold Coast District,” he said.

But Coomera MP Michael Crandon said residents were suffering as the suburb was facing higher crime rates.

“Police officers are paying the price with health-related issues and morale through the floor,” Mr Crandon said.

“The Police Commissioner isn’t listening so it’s time for the Police Minister to tell him to get the numbers into Coomera division that are needed.”

Police Minister Mark Ryan called on Mr Crandon to apologise to the Commissioner immediately and for LNP leader Deb Frecklington to “pull him into line”.

“Mr Crandon’s call for the Police Minister to direct the Commissioner where to allocate resources is outrageous, reminiscent of the corruption of the bad old days, pre-Fitzgerald, when politicians told the police what to do,” he said.

“When Coomera MP Michael Crandon and the LNP were in power in 2014 there were 966 police on the Gold Coast. Now there are more than a thousand.

“The allocation of resources is a matter for the Police Commissioner, free of political interference, just as it should be.”