Officers vital for more than crime
I WAS not expecting a quiet night on the beat.
As a crime reporter, I am constantly writing about the hard news happening in our region and most recently, juvenile crime.
I won’t lie, I was hanging out for some big stories and the thrill of the chase, but maybe next time.
Juvenile crime is not new, and it’s a trend that has gripped Townsville for years.
But seeing empty streets, clear highways and hardly anyone in sight on our operation with Townsville Police made it clear how essential they are in more areas than just traditional crime.
One of the first jobs we were called out to came in around midnight where a young girl had self-harmed.
When our car arrived on scene, there was already a crew parked up and another that pulled over to check in, including assisting female officers.
The girl’s level of distress was evident as she lay crumpled on her driveway, not moving, and likely freezing in the cool night air. We did not know what brought her to call police, b but they were there helping her when she couldn’t help herself.
We ate an early morning barbecue breakfast with these officers soon after and I came to learn some of them were in their first week on the job.
Some were only a few shifts into their career.
Their camaraderie and mutual respect for each other was admirable, and it was obvious they loved their job no matter w what they were responding to.
So while it was a typically dull night of crime for Townsv ville, the insight that we gained from these officers was far from dull.