QPS Recognised for Innovative Programs
Photo courtesy of Australian Institute of Criminology
Police Commissioner Ian Stewart has offered his congratulations to Queensland Police Service officers and staff members who were acknowledged at the Australian Crime and Violence Prevention Awards at Parliament House in Canberra last week.
The Queensland Police Service won all three National Awards for Police, in addition to a State Meritorious Certificate and two Letters of Commendation. In addition, two community-based projects were awarded with a Certificate of Merit. Out of the 16 Queensland projects that were nominated, 11 were acknowledged in some way.
Commissioner Stewart said the awards were designed to enhance policing on a national level.
“These awards encourage good practice in the prevention and reduction of violence and other crimes all over Australia,” Commissioner Stewart said.
“The projects that were awarded today play a valuable role in building relationships with the community and they deserve to be recognised for that.”
The QPS National award winning projects included the Banbaji Student Service, a school-based conflict resolution initiative on Mornington Island. By managing disputes between students in a timely and culturally appropriate manner, the project reduces the risk of tensions between students spilling over into the rest of the community.
The Multicultures Project, a suite of crime prevention initiatives that effectively respond to the needs of a school-wide community, also received a National Award. The project provides appropriate and effective referral pathways for young people and their families by creating an improved culture within participating schools.
The third QPS program to receive a National Award was the SupportLink E-Referral Management System in Queensland, a community policing program for all ‘persons at risk’ or ‘vulnerable persons’ in the community. If an officer is unable to provide the appropriate assistance to an individual, they can offer a referral to a welfare or support agency to assist in addressing the client’s needs.
The Domestic Violence Web Link program received a Certificate of Merit for providing a ‘one-stop-shop’ to assist people involved with domestic and family violence.
The two community-based projects that were awarded with a Certificate of Merit were the Gold Coast Council’s Street Meet program and a collaboration between the Gold Coast Domestic Violence Prevention Centre Inc and Queensland Corrective Services – South Coast Region of Probation and Parole.
2013’s Australian Crime and Violence Prevention Awards were focused on innovative and cross-cultural partnerships, the use of technology and social media to prevent crime and firearm related crime prevention.
