Borderless policing the way of future

ALMOST 400 people were arrested on more than 800 charges in February’s major Townsville police operation.

Townsville Police Superintendent Steve Munro has hailed Operation Quebec Ironside a success, disrupting the drug and property crime scene in the city.

The borderless policing trial now seems set to be the norm for Townsville police.

Supt Munro said police would wait until after the Commonwealth Games before considering conducting another similar operation.

“I would like to think that ( style of policing) is the way we are moving,” he said.

“The old traditional way of a police station on every corner needs to change because it’s quite labour intensive.

“The smarter we can be with how we use our resources most effectively is how we should be looking to the future.

“We would like to holistically work across all the borders to provide a better policing response … if you ring up and you’re living in the city and the officers in the city station are busy doing other things the police officer from Kirwan can come and answer your call for service.”

Queensland Police Union northern region representative Peter Thomas said he had seen the benefits of “borderless policing” in the city.

“We are always in support of trying new and innovative ways to tackle crime and this is the hallmark of policing being able to continually evolve to respond to the changing nature of crime,” he said.

Operation Quebec Ironside targeted crime hot spots and featured a high level of community engagement.

SAM BIDEY A MOTORBIKE helmet was entered as evidence in the ninth day of a drugs trial.

Troy Anthony Quagliata, 42, is on trial in Townsville District Court on drugs charges.

The helmet, seized during a search of Quagliata’s home in October 2014, was passed among jurors yesterday.

Jurors heard Quagliata and Caleb Robert Morrow were riding quad bikes in Toomulla Beach where cannabis was stored in buried plastic drums.

Detective Sergeant Bradley Phelps said he saw Morrow.

Defence barrister Claire Grant suggested it wasn’t Quagliata but Sgt Phelps said he was confident.

The trial continues.