The horrendous number of calls going unanswered by PoliceLink has been revealed with data showing a 644 per cent increase under the Palaszczuk Labor Government.
An LNP Question on Notice showed 197,648 calls went unanswered or were disconnected by PoliceLink in 2018, compared to 26,555 in 2014 under the LNP*.
Only 3 per cent of calls were unanswered in 2014, while 17 per cent were unanswered in 2018.
LNP Leader Deb Frecklington said our hard-working police officers were missing out on vital tip-offs to help keep the community safe.
“The amount of calls going unanswered by PoliceLink is horrendous,” Ms Frecklington said.
“Information from the public is crucial to preventing and responding to crime, but people are hanging up on PoliceLink in record numbers.
“These damning statistics show the Palaszczuk Labor Government should never have allowed the Crime Stoppers call centre to close.
“Crime is rising fast under Annastacia Palaszczuk, frontline police are at breaking point, and PoliceLink can’t cope with the mountain of calls.”
LNP Shadow Police Minister Trevor Watts warned the closure of the Crime Stoppers call centre would pile even more pressure on police resources.
“The only reason Labor Police Minister Mark Ryan put out a media release this morning was because the LNP had a Question on Notice exposing this shameful handling of calls,” Mr Watts said.
“It’s disturbing that Mr Ryan would cherry pick a few months of data when the big picture shows a massive increase in missed calls on his watch.
“Annastacia Palaszczuk must sack her incompetent Police Minister.
“The LNP was the first to fund Crime Stoppers and we pledged an extra $1 million for the charity at the last election.”
*https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/documents/tableOffice/questionsAnswers/2019/110-2019.pdf