Police levels lowest
 |
In the division (formerly Toowong) which stretches from Ashgrove to Brookfield (179sq km) there are 73 officers for 103,842 residents which equates to one police officer for every 1442 people.
This is compared with the Petrie district which has one officer for every 871 people and South Brisbane which has one officer for every 765 people.
Statistics show the Petrie district has 5,360 reported crimes in the 1997/98 financial year while Indooroopilly division had 7,112.
Queensland Police Union president Gary Wilkinson said the ratio meant residents were not getting the police service they were entitled to.
"It can be argued that police are put in the areas they are most needed, but it can't be argued that the Toowong district is not in need of police service," he said.
"To be fair the Government has improved the level of recruitment of police officers,"
"Where are they putting their resources?"
Toowong Indooroopilly Police Consultative Committee chair man Col Sellers said it was disturbing the area had such a poor ratio.
"We get a big boost in population on a day to day basis with the major commerce and major industry in the area," he said.
"I don't think we can afford to be the lowest in the State. I can't see how we can be doing anything else but missing out."
Acting Assistant Commissioner Patrick Doonan said the ratios did not reflect the range of services.
"Local police are supported by specialist squads such as Scenes of Crime personnel, the Public Safety Response Team, the Drug Squad and the Homicide Squad," he said.
|
Visible police deterrent It is disturbing for
residents of the Indooroopilly police division to
have the lowest police-to-population ratio in the
State. |