More police still coming: Premier

PREMIER Annastacia Palaszczuk has hit back at suggestions she broke an election pledge by not yet delivering an extra 53 police officers promised to Townsville.

Burdekin MP Dale Last asked Ms Palaszczuk during Parliament Question Time yesterday why the extra officers had not already been provided to the city.

“In February this year, there were 539.04 officers protecting Townsville; two weeks ago, the Minister for Police said actual police strength is now 531.75,” he said.

“The frontline number ( of officers) has gone backwards under Labor,” he said.

But Ms Palaszczuk said she had not broken an election commitment because the rollout of new officers was planned over four years.

“We actually have to make sure that we have the cadets going through,” she said.

“It takes six months to train … then of course they are allocated.”

Ms Palaszczuk accused the LNP of forgetting the fallout of the infamous Fitzgerald Inquiry into alleged police corruption.

“There’s been a little of a suggestion by ( the Opposition) that the Police Minister should be directing the commissioner,” she said.

“The Minister should have no power to direct the commissioner to act or not to act in any matter coming within the commissioner’s discretion under laws relating to police power.”

Opposition Leader Frecklington said the Deb slow rollout of officers was putting community safety at risk.

“Labor has cut $ 44 million from the police budget and crime rates are rising in Townsville,” she said.

“Annastacia Palaszczuk is effectively asking our frontline police to do more with less.”

Ms Frecklington said the LNP was calling on the State Government to provide more police resources and “tougher laws”.

“Townsville residents deserve to feel safe in their own community,” she said.