- Police have charged nearly 800 people in the Moreton and Ipswich districts in less than six months of Operation Forge as the Crisafulli Government continues to turn the tide on Labor's Youth Crime Crisis.
- Operation Forge is a statewide, high-visibility operation targeting high harm offences that exploded under Labor – break-ins, robberies and stolen vehicle offences.
- The Crisafulli Government is giving police the laws, resources and support they need to keep Queenslanders safer after a decade of decline under Labor.
The Crisafulli Government is making Moreton and Ipswich safer and turning the tide on Labor's Youth Crime Crisis with police charging nearly 800 offenders - including serious and repeat offenders - in less than six months of Operation Forge.
Since launching on 27 February, Operation Forge has delivered record results in the Moreton district with local police charging 486 people – including 195 juveniles – with 1,199 offences after the former Labor Government's watering down of Queensland youth crime laws created a generation of serious repeat offenders.
Meanwhile in the Ipswich district, local police have charged 296 people – including 105 juveniles - with 556 offences.
The statewide, high-visibility operation is part of the Crisafulli Government's plan to make Queensland safer, targeting high harm offences that exploded during Labor's decade of decline – break-ins, robberies and stolen vehicle offences.
The former Labor Government's decade of weak laws created the Youth Crime Crisis and a generation of serious repeat offenders, which saw the number of victims of crime skyrocket 193 per cent.
The Crisafulli Government is delivering stronger laws and more police with the tools they need to fight Labor's Youth Crime Crisis and has already delivered a 9.6 per cent drop in the number of victims of crime in Queensland, according to police data compared to Labor's last financial year.
Since the October 2024 election, a total of 1,965 new officers have been sworn into the Queensland Police Service – including 123 to the Moreton district and 116 to the Ipswich district - exceeding the Crisafulli Government's election commitment to deliver 1,600 new recruits and taking the Service beyond 13,000 officers for the first time in the State's history after Labor's decade of decline.
Minister for Police and Emergency Services Dan Purdie said today's Operation Forge milestone showed the Crisafulli Government was restoring safety in the Moreton district.
"Operation Forge is turning the tide on Labor's Youth Crime Crisis by giving police the resources and support they need to do their jobs and make Queensland safer," Minister Purdie said.
"The Crisafulli Government is delivering more boots on the ground than ever before as we continue to target Labor's generation of serious repeat offenders and restore safety in the Moreton and Ipswich districts.
"These early positive results are a step in the right direction after a decade of decline under Labor, but the Crisafulli Government is not taking our foot of the pedal when it comes to backing our hardworking police and delivering fewer victims of Labor's Youth Crime Crisis."
Member for Pumicestone Ariana Doolan said Operation Forge was restoring safety in the Moreton district.
"Operation Forge is delivering real results by targeting serious and repeat offenders," Ms Doolan said.
"The Crisafulli Government is backing our police with the resources and laws they need to keep Queenslanders safe.
"More police, stronger laws and fewer victims is how we're restoring community safety across Pumicestone and the wider region."
Member for Redcliffe Kerri-Anne Dooley said the results were encouraging.
"Operation Forge is delivering real results for Redcliffe and the City of Moreton Bay," Ms Dooley said.
"Our police are working hard to protect our communities, but we know we have more work to do.
"Redcliffe residents want to see more police on the beat, fewer victims and consequences for actions, which is exactly what the Crisafulli Government is delivering."
Superintendent Chris Toohey said the results were testament to the unwavering dedication of Queensland Police to target property crime, apprehend offenders swiftly and enhance community safety.
"Targeted operations like Operation Forge not only disrupt criminal activity, but they also have a tangible impact on the community by providing residents with peace of mind," Superintendent Toohey said.
"They also bolster the positive relationships local police have with members of the public, allowing us to source information from the community quickly to prevent possible further victims."
