Cops ‘ready’ for Schoolies festival

POLICE, ambulance and emergency services are promising a “very robust” crackdown on this year’s Schoolies festival.

Up to 20,000 school leavers are expected to converge on Surfers Paradise from today, with nine government agencies preparing for “anything that comes their way”.

Despite thousands of cancellations from border-trapped interstate school leavers, the crackdown will include a heightened police presence, 24/7 metal-detector wanding and an emergency medical tent that could be filled by up to 200 teenagers a night.

Gold Coast Schoolies

Advisory

chairman Mark Reaburn said up to 1000 volunteers would man the streets.

“It’s a rite of passage and people say ban it, stop it. But we can’t stop it,” he said.

“Ultimately, these schoolies are coming and we are responding. We are ready.”

Queensland Police acting Chief Superintendent Rhys Wildman said the police response would be ramped up and “very robust.”

“We have a number of uniform, plain clothes and specialist officers who will operate across the precinct,” he said.

Supt Wildman said additional police resources were pooled from outside of the Gold Coast and Brisbane to help at the festival.

“The Gold Coast is a safe place and our operations are all about enhancing that safety and making sure parents know their children will be looked after as best as possible.”

He said the Gold Coast’s ongoing wanding trial would be rolled out 24 hours a day during Schoolies, meaning partygoers could be stopped and checked at “any given time”.

“Since April 30, we have wanded over 1900 individuals in our safe-night precincts and have recovered 56 weapons.”

Supt Wildman said drug and alcohol patrols would increase during the week-long celebrations, as well as keeping an eye out for “toolies” looking to gatecrash the festival after last year’s cancelled event.

Queensland Ambulance Service senior operations supervisor Justin Payne said daytime resources would be increased and, with help from Queensland Health, an emergency treatment centre was established for evenings.

“Queensland Ambulance Service would like to remind school leavers to stay safe, watch your mates and try and avoid undertaking any risk taking activity,” he said.

Gold Coast Health, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation and Red Frogs Australia also announced plans to ensure the “safest Schoolies event possible”.