Queensland Police Service: Difference between revisions

| minister1name = [[MarkDaniel Ryan (Australian politician)|Mark RyanPurdie]]

The current [[Commissioner of the Queensland Police Service|Commissioner]] is Stephan (Steve) Gollschewski.<ref name=MinStmt20240422>{{cite web |title=Steve Gollschewski appointed as Queensland Police Commissioner |url=https://statements.qld.gov.au/statements/100166 |website=Media Statements |publisher=The State of Queensland (Department of the Premier and Cabinet) |access-date=23 April 2024 |date=22 April 2024 |archive-date=30 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240430141326/https://statements.qld.gov.au/statements/100166 |url-status=live }}</ref> The Commissioner reports to the Minister for Police, presently [[MarkDaniel Ryan (Australian politician)|Mark RyanPurdie]].

[[Colony of Queensland|Queensland]] came into existence as a colony of the [[British Empire]] on 1 December 1859.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3722828 |title=LETTERS PATENT, &c., IN REFERENCE TO SEPARATION OF MORETON BAY |newspaper=[[The Moreton Bay Courier]] |location=Queensland, Australia |date=10 December 1859 |access-date=15 March 2020 |page=2 |via=Trove |archive-date=20 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220520223823/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/3722828 |url-status=live }}</ref> The region was previously under the jurisdiction of the New South Wales governance with towns policed by small forces controlled by the local magistracy. ''The Police Act of 1838'' (2 Vic. no. 2) which officially codified a variety of common behaviours as criminal and regulated the police response to them, continued as the template for policing. On 13 January 1860, [[Edric Norfolk Vaux Morisset]] was appointed the Inspector-General of the Queensland Police.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article77427233 |title=OFFICIAL NOTIFICATIONS. |newspaper=[[The North Australian, Ipswich And General Advertiser]] |location=Queensland, Australia |date=24 January 1860 |access-date=15 March 2020 |page=3 |via=Trove |archive-date=20 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220520223824/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/77427233 |url-status=live }}</ref> Queensland was divided into 17 districts, each with its own police force headed by a Chief Constable under authority of a local magistrate.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Dukova |first1=Anastasia |title=To Preserve and Protect: Policing Colonial Brisbane |date=2020 |publisher=Queensland University Press |location=Brisbane |isbn=9780702260148 |page=56 |url=https://www.uqp.com.au/books/to-preserve-and-protect-policing-colonial-brisbane |access-date=18 May 2020 |archive-date=9 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200609082831/https://www.uqp.com.au/books/to-preserve-and-protect-policing-colonial-brisbane |url-status=live }}</ref> The position of Inspector-General was abolished soon after it was established, in July 1860, and most of the operations of the police until 1863 reverted to the control of local police magistrates and justices.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Dukova |first1=Anastasia |title=To Preserve and Protect: Policing Colonial Brisbane |date=2020 |publisher=University of Queensland Press |location=Brisbane |isbn=978-0-7022-6014-8 |page=4 |edition=1 |url=https://www.uqp.uq.edu.au/Book.aspx/1537/To%20Preserve%20and%20Protect-%20Policing%20Colonial%20Brisbane |access-date=21 February 2020 |archive-date=28 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200228114206/http://uqp.uq.edu.au/Book.aspx/1537/To%20Preserve%20and%20Protect-%20Policing%20Colonial%20Brisbane |url-status=live }}</ref>

The Queensland Police Service has threetwo classes of uniformed personnel: police officers ('sworn' and 'unsworn'),{{efn|Each state legislation defines the organisational structure and terms. In Queensland, employees are either police officers, staff members, or police recruits, collectively referred to as 'members of the Service'. The Police Service Administration Regulation 1990 provides an oath of office ('sworn') and affirmation of office ('unsworn'). The latter caters for a variety of police officers including those who do not have religious beliefs.{{citation needed|date=November 2019}}}} and staff members (public servants:, including police liaison officers, watchhouse officers, protective services officers and pipes and drums musicians). Both classes wear the same blue uniform with shoulder patches,. however:

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** LeadingSenior senior constableConstable (title; two embroidered chevrons with two bars underneath)

=== Non-commissionedSergeant ranks ===

* [[Senior sergeant|Senior Sergeant]] (embroidered crown with laurels)

** [[Chief inspector|Chief Inspector]] (one crown) (re-introduced as a title in 2023)

* [[Chief superintendent|Chief Superintendent]] (one crown and two pips)

* [[Assistant commissioner (police)|Assistant commissionerCommissioner]] (crossed tipstaves with laurels)

* [[Deputy commissioner|Deputy Commissioner]] (one pip and crossed tipstaves with laurels)

|[[File:Terence Murray Lewis, Queensland Police Commissioner b.jpg|70px]]

|First ever appointed Chief Officer of the newly -formed [[Coast guards in Australia|Maritime Rescue Queensland]].<ref name="Chief Officers"/>

Standard equipment issued and worn on duty belt or load -bearing vest by a uniformed police officer:

* [[Glock 22]] pistol [[.40 S&W|.40-calibre]], with three magazines (45 rounds of ammunition)

* [[Axon Enterprise|Axon]] Body 2, Flex 2, Body 3 [[body worn video|body worn camera]]s (BWC)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://images.defence.gov.au/assets/Home/Search?Query=20220719army8663881_0303.jpg&Type=Filename|title=Ex Brolga Run 22 - Joint Patrols|date=July 2022|access-date=4 January 2023|archive-date=19 May 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240519234606/https://images.defence.gov.au/assets/Home/Search?Query=20220719army8663881_0303.jpg&Type=Filename|url-status=live}}</ref>

Body -worn video technology was introduced following a trial in 2015. The TASER 10 was introduced in 2024.<ref name=2024T10 />

In a first for an Australian police department, Queensland Police have purchased numerous [[unmanned aerial vehicle]]s (UAVs;, i.e.also known as 'drones') which have already been used for surveillance purposes in numerous situations where sending in officers is deemed too risky such as during sieges or hostage rescue operations. They can also be used to aerially examine crime scenes.<ref name=":6" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=McLaughlin |first=Andrew |title=Queensland Police receives new helicopter for Townsville and North Queensland |url=https://psnews.com.au/queensland-police-receives-new-helicopter-for-townsville-and-north-queensland/125679/ |access-date=2024-02-09 |website=PS News |language=en |archive-date=19 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240519234606/https://psnews.com.au/queensland-police-receives-new-helicopter-for-townsville-and-north-queensland/125679/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

* 26 January 1883: Constable William Dwyer was struck on the head by a tomahawk by an [[Aboriginal Australians|Aboriginal]] near Juandah Station via [[Taroom]].<ref name=":5" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-09-24 |title=FROM THE VAULT – The murder of Constable William Dwyer, January 26, 1883 |url=https://mypolice.qld.gov.au/museum/2024/09/24/from-the-vault-the-murder-of-constable-william-dwyer-january-26-1883/ |access-date=2024-10-01 |website=Queensland Police Museum}}</ref>