Queensland Expands Flying Police Squad to Deal with Crime in Remote Areas

Police attend a crime scene in the suburb of Manoora in Cairns, Australia, on Dec. 19, 2014. Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli has launched a new squad of “flying” police officers to deal with youth crime around the vast state.

On Jan. 12, the LNP premier, who was elected on a platform of tackling crime in October 2024, unveiled a multi-million flying squad with 58 officers to be dispatched to troubled areas.

Crisafulli had pledged to resign if the number of victims of crime do not fall during his first four-year term of government.

The ‘State Flying Squad’

The new initiative will increase the ranks of the state’s fly-in, fly out officers from 17 to 58, and will target the state’s worst juvenile and adult offenders.

“Backed by our tough Making Queensland Safer Laws, the State Flying Squad represents a new era of policing and will give communities the backup needed, when they need it. We are throwing the kitchen sink at turning the tide on a decade of runaway crime under Labor,” Crisafulli said in a statement.

“Queenslanders deserve safety and police deserve support; we are delivering on both to wrestle back control and end the Youth Crime Crisis.”

In a post on X, Crisafulli noted the government was tripling the size of the Queensland Police flying squad.

“This will be the largest rapid response unit in Queensland Police history,” he said.

The government will allocate $32.4 million of taxpayer dollars in five years for the initiative, and will repurpose officers attached to Taskforce Guardian (focused on youth crime) and Operation Whiskey Legion (which targeted the holiday period and violent offences).

Minister for Police Dan Purdie said the new state flying squad could be deployed at a moment’s notice to any corner of Queensland.

“Youth offenders and high-risk criminals will be a major focus for the new Squad, which will be able to utilise the Making Queensland Safer Laws and restore safety where you live,” he said.

50,000 Youth Crime Offences in Queensland in 2024

In December, the Queensland government released key data revealing the hotspots for youth crime offences in the state, with over 50,000 offences recorded in 2024.

The South Brisbane region experienced the highest number of incidents with 7,592 reported offences, and 39 serious repeat youth offenders.

The Far North recorded 6,829 offences, with 78 individuals identified as serious youth re-offenders.

Townsville reported 4,175 offences, including 68 serious repeat offenders, while Logan to the south of Brisbane recorded 2,037 offences, with 46 re-offenders.

The data was released to support the government’s Making Queensland Safer Laws, which will apply adult sentencing to 13 serious offences.

These include murder, manslaughter,, unlawful striking causing death, grievous bodily harm, wounding, serious assault, home and business break-ins and robbery, and dangerous operation of vehicles. 

Meanwhile on Jan. 13, Queensland Opposition Leader Steven Miles called on Crisafulli to to expand the $200 kids sports voucher to keep youths away from crime.