Three Queensland Police Service (QPS) programs were recognised and awarded at the Australian Crime and Violence Prevention Awards (ACVPA) in Canberra today. The ACVPAs recognise best practice in the prevention or reduction of violence and other types of crime in Australia, Queensland Police say.
QPS Queensland Fixated Threat Assessment Centre today received a gold award in the police-led category of the awards.
Since 2013, the Queensland Fixated Threat Assessment Centre, a joint Queensland Police Service and Forensic Mental Health Service early intervention initiative, has managed over 630 cases.
The project provides proactive identification, risk assessment and intervention for fixated individuals who have an obsessive preoccupation with a public figure or office holder, facilitating tailored interventions including mental health service referrals, to reduce the risk of grievance fueled violence and harm to public figures, the community, themselves and their families.
QPS Detective Superintendent Roger Lowe said this award provides a platform to share nationally the opportunity and possibilities of the joint agency model of information sharing and cooperative strategies.
Braking the Cycle today received a silver award. Braking the Cycle provides disadvantaged learner drivers with the opportunity to obtain safe driver education through the support of a volunteer mentor network.
Police Citizens Welfare Association Queensland Program Manager, Bernie O’Regan said participating learners achieved improved job readiness and marketability to employers, as well an improved sense of self-worth. The program also promotes crime prevention and diversion from unlicensed driving and a reduction in traffic offences and crime.
"Winning this prestigious Australian Crime and Violence Prevention Award is a great benefit to our program as it highlights our key objective of crime prevention through effective diversion tactics specifically directed towards high risk groups," Mr O’Regan said.
The St George Youth Engagement Program today received a bronze award.
Senior Sergeant Paul Tabrett, Officer in Charge, said the program intends to improve school attendance and reduce youth crime.
"Our project engages with ‘at risk’ youth to improve their self esteem, create a sense of purpose, and to generate a learning culture by providing life skills and exercises for personal development," Senior Sergeant Paul Tabrett said.
"We are a small community, but we quickly came to the realisation that our program was actually making a difference and changing lives, and could see the fruits of our labour started taking shape. As such, it became apparent that we needed to let people know what we were doing."
Queensland ACVPA Board representative, Superintendent David Tucker said programs like these demonstrate the Queensland Police Service’s commitment to ensuring that education is accessible to all Queenslanders, enabling them to actively contribute to the community.
