Opinion – Nick Dametto on Absent Police Pursuit Policy

Hinchinbrook MP and KAP Deputy Leader, Nick Dametto MP.

24 October 2024

RE: Article – Crims making a mockery of the Law, by Pete Carruthers.

Journalist for the Cairns Post, Pete Carruthers, hit the nail on the head with his article about how Queensland’s police are forced to watch criminals wreak havoc with little power to stop them. Thanks to a no-pursuit policy that emboldens offenders, car thieves are taunting officers, knowing they can escape without consequence. This isn’t law enforcement—it’s a joke and every victim of car theft knows it, the criminals know it and sadly, so do our police.

When I asked the then Police Minister about the lack of a police pursuit policy back in September, he claimed there was a pursuits policy in place in Queensland, but our frontline police are telling a very different story. They’re shackled by restrictive rules and fear of disciplinary action. Meanwhile, criminals are laughing in their faces, taking advantage of a broken system that puts the public at risk.

Our police are doing the best they can under our inadequate laws and policies, yet they’re being sidelined, unable to make split-second decisions about pursuing stolen cars. This has turned Queensland into a haven for repeat offenders who know exactly how to exploit the system. It’s no wonder car theft is rampant, and Queenslanders are living in fear.

The Queensland Police Union has now joined the call for changes, including the use of the Precision Immobilisation Technique (PIT) to stop fleeing vehicles. We need to listen to them.

Queenslanders deserve police who are empowered to act, not be held back by overcautious regulations. It’s time to trust our officers to make the right calls and take back control of our streets. If we don’t, criminals will keep running the show—and victims will have to continue to watch on in horror.

Deputy Leader of the Katter’s Australian Party and State Member for Hinchinbrook, Nick Dametto.

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