Police hub at Kippa-Ring train station’s a first

A new hub at Kippa-Ring train station being used by railway squad and community-based police will boost rail safety, giving them access to 12,000 CCTV cameras across the network.

Senior officers from both visited the facility with State Member for Redcliffe Yvette D’Ath on Friday.

Ms D’Ath says the hub will make the area safer and commuters feel more comfortable using the network.

“Equipped with workplaces for two police officers, the hub provides direct access to Queensland Rail’s station CCTV network of more than 12,000 cameras and has facilities to process alleged offenders,” she says.

“Officers from Petrie’s police railway squad outpost will operate from the new facility periodically, but what makes this the first of its kind is that it is also available as a base for local police to work from, when required.

Moreton Police District Superintendent John Hallam says the facility is a boost to local policing in the Kippa-Ring area.

“Access to the facility at Kippa-Ring will increase the capacity of local officers to further improve community safety along the transport corridor and the surrounding area,” he says.

Queensland Rail has invested $30,000 to create the new police hub, which is part of an existing traincrew depot.

“The safety and security of commuters is a top priority for the Palaszczuk Government, and this investment will further assist police to deter, detect and charge offenders for any anti-social or criminal behaviour, on the rail network but also in the broader community,” Ms D’Ath says.

“The Kippa-Ring hub adds to eight police outposts strategically located across the rail network, from which the 84-officer strong Police Railway Squad operate, dedicated to the safety and security of the network.”

Last year, the police railway squad and Queensland Rail conducted more than 700 proactive joint operations targeting crime and anti-social behaviour on the network.

Focus on safety

General Manager Station Customer Service and Security Ron De Graaf said: “At Queensland Rail, safety is our first priority, so this is about ensuring the safety of our customers.

“We’re very keen to invest in these particular rail squad hubs and this is the eighth one we have across the network now. What it does … it provides a presence and that helps reduce local crime.”

Queensland Police Inspector Craig White said the hub would be a vital time-saver for police on patrol.

“They are able to perform their administrative roles here, allowing them to process prisoners, investigate offences without actually taking the offender back into Brisbane or to another large station,” he says.

“It creates another facility, computer facilities and so forth that we can use without requiring massive travel and time. It makes it quicker for them to do the job. The quicker it takes for them to process someone, then they’re back on the beat sooner.

“Late last year in about November, there were issues concerning juvenile crime and offences and officers from the railway squad and TCS (tactical crime squad) and local police were conducting operations from out of this facility. It just allows more police to be concentrated in areas they are needed.

“As a consequence, the level of complaints and offences has dropped considerably, so it now just allows our officers particularly from railway squad to come further out along the rail network rather than having to go back to Petrie.”

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