Police Union president Ian Leavers has said that some Queensland cops face “significant danger”, including threats to their family, as violence from motorcycle gangs has increased.
Body armour for the Queensland police force patrolling Surfer’s Paradise will be rolled out immediately, though Leavers says he will have to put a stronger case forward to allow police to return home with their firearms.
Leavers explained: “All I can say is police are very concerned…Police certainly do feel more at threat and as though they could become more of a target.”
Leavers said the new measures were about “moving with the times”, and added that police who did take weapons home would have to ensure they were stored safely.
There are 35 known bikie gangs across Australia and violence is growing – in September a vicious fight in which ‘bikies’ threw broken class at security in a mall in Melbourne led to a crackdown on the gangs. Queensland has increased the number of police on patrol and strict laws to combat the brutality has been introduced. Plans to build a prison for convicted biker-gang members only has been suggested, and there are moves to shut-down tattoo parlours where gang affiliates get inked.
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