One nabbed in knife search operation

A 17-year-old Kippa-Ring boy will be dealt with under the Juvenile Justice Act after being found with a knife during a Moreton Police District operation to combat knife crime.

During the May 11 operation police visited Kippa-Ring and North Lakes train stations, using hand-held metal detector wands to check for knives under new powers outlined in Jack’s Law, which passed in State Parliament earlier this year.

Following the stabbing death of 17-year-old Jack Beasley in 2019, legislation was introduced in 2021 for police to trial the metal detectors to uncover knives in Safe Night Precincts on the Gold Coast.

The successful trial has led to the program being rolled out across the state at Safe Night Precincts, on public transport and at public transport hubs as part of authorised operations.

More operations planned

Last week’s searches were the first of multiple operations that will be conducted across the region in coming weeks.

Moreton Tactician Senior-Sergeant John Cush says 54 street checks were conducted on May 11, including searching 51 people using a hand-held scanning device.

“What was also good to see is that out of 51 people scanned, only one was in possession of a knife,” Sen-Sgt Cush says.

It is alleged a 17-year-old Kippa-Ring boy was found in possession of a knife.

He will be dealt with under the Juvenile Justice Act.

Moreton police have recently partnered with 10 schools in the region to educate young people about the dangers of carrying knives.