Minister Quizzed on police bill to babysit criminals

LABOR’S Police Minister Neil Roberts has failed to explain how he would pay for police forced to babysit criminals crammed into court watchhouses across the state.

LNP Shadow Minister for Police, Corrective Services & Emergency Services John-Paul Langbroek demanded that Minister Roberts come clean on how many prison staff would be cut to pay for the ‘babysitting’ services in over-crowded watchhouses.

“It’s the same level of gross mismanagement and policy incompetence that’s causing ramping at our hospitals. Forcing police to babysit criminals is not just taking police off the frontline, it’s costing the police department a fortune and somehow it’s got to be paid for,” Mr Langbroek said.

“Minister Roberts and the Police Commissioner were forced to shed 300 back-up staff in the police department to pay for the police pay deal – now there’s a big invoice in the mail to the Corrective Services department from police forced to look after criminals ramped in watchhouses across the state.”

“How many staff is the Minister going to sack from Corrective Services to pay for police to babysit criminals in our court watchhouses,” Mr Langbroek said.

Mr Langbroek said state prison warders and support staff in Corrective Services were already battling heightened tension in over-crowded jails and hardly needed pressure from threatened sackings.

“This is symptomatic of this tired, 20-year old Labor government that has racked-up $85 billion in debt and this is cutting corners in every area to pay for its long years of waste and mismanagement.”

“The whole problem stems from Bligh Labor’s closure of the 500-bed Borallon jail at Ipswich and the mothballing of 500 beds at Woodford jail.

“There’s nowhere for police to send criminals who are now forced to remain in watchhouses under their care.

“A Campbell Newman led LNP government will rivitalise frontline services – and deliver better infrastructure and planning.”