Aaron Bunch Journalist with Australian Associated Press | Collection of published work | + 61 484 008 119 | abunch@aap.com.au
Arrests mount amid police surge to disrupt youth crime
A Queensland Police operation targeting youths in a bid to bolster community safety has led to more than 11,000 arrests in the past 12 months.
March 10, 2024
Thousands of people have been arrested as a police operation designed to target youths and bolster community safety marks its one-year milestone.
More than 11,000 people have been taken into custody across Queensland on 17,791 charges, including drugs, weapons, traffic, property crime and bail offences, as part of Operation Whiskey Unison.
Started in March 2023, the operation is focused on preventing, disrupting, and investigating youth crime, with officers deployed to hotspot areas to boost local police on the ground.
The high visibility, “boots-on-the-ground” operation has included increased foot patrols, wanding, mobile police vehicle deployments and bail compliance checks.
The extra officers are also engaging with young people to disrupt and deter offending at shopping and restaurant precincts, service stations, public spaces and residential areas.
The 11,023 people arrested so far as part of the operation include 4149 juveniles facing 7551 charges.
Premier Steven Miles said Queenslanders had a right to feel and be safe wherever they were in the state.
“It’s why our government launched these high visibility police patrols around the state and these figures show it’s working,” he said on Sunday.