‘Watch this space’ for Cairns RAP plan

GRACE MASON AND CHRIS MCMAHON CAIRNS could be on the brink of being handed a specialist Rapid Action Policing unit with the state’s top cop hinting “watch this space”.

Creating the flying squadstyle unit for the city was flagged by Commissioner Ian Stewart earlier this year, mod- elled off RAPs in Townsville and the Gold Coast.

The 25-officer unit in Townsville was almost doubled yesterday with Mr Stewart announcing 20 extra positions in an effort to tackle ongoing crime issues, particularly around juvenile property offenders in the southern city.

But news that Cairns could become home to a similar unit has been met by concern from Far North union officials who say the city need the extra staff, but not the unit.

Mr Stewart said creating RAPs remained his priority.

“It’s a model that works in contemporary society and what we are doing is leveraging technology to allow our frontline people, the most important people we have, to be on the road longer doing the jobs we need them to do,” he said. “Yes, I’d love to have a RAP in Cairns and I think you’ve just got to wait and watch this space.”

Far North police union representative Sgt Marty Bristow this week raised concern over the strain being put on the Cairns station with extra staff being deployed to Aurukun.

He feared creating a RAP in Cairns would cause the same problem if it just involved shifting resources around.

“The RAP concept, whilst it’s a good idea in theory, it hasn’t worked,” he said.

“It would be good if we could get an extra 20 staff for general duties in Cairns anyway while they decide what to do with the RAP.”