Queensland police 'grab for power'

Queensland police 'grab for power'

By Bill Mason

BRISBANE — The Queensland Police Service and police union had cynically manipulated public fears on crime in a "grab for power", Terry O'Gorman, president of the Council for Civil Liberties, told a public hearing of the Criminal Justice Commission on June 11.

"The onus is on those who want extra powers to show factual examples", O'Gorman told the CJC, slamming a police submission which was notable for a lack of examples where police were unable to achieve a result because of lack of powers.

In a 123-page submission to the CJC, police call for extended powers to: exclude people from crime scenes for an unspecified period; demand people's names and addresses; instruct any person to move on; search suspects and vehicles; detain before and after arrest; conduct electronic surveillance.

In addition to the QCCL, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations and youth groups have expressed deep concern at any increase in police powers, in the light of the well-known record of Queensland police in repressing civil rights, especially of Blacks and young people.

From GLW issue 60