The Queensland Government has announced an unprecedented surge of police resources into Cairns and Townsville – delivering one of the largest and most focused policing efforts in the State’s history – in a youth crime crackdown to turn the tide on the Youth Crime Crisis.

In the past week, the policing surge has charged 100 offenders in Townsville with 440 crimes and 102 offenders in Cairns with 482 crimes. 

Led by local police, the strategic surge-capacity deployments will deliver more boots on the ground than ever before into the Far North and North Queensland communities, flooding the state’s crime hotspots with specialist police to help restore community safety.

The ongoing deployments combine high-visibility patrols with investigative and covert policing operations, aimed at catching serious repeat offenders and making Queensland safer.

Operation Marshall, funded in the 2025–26 Budget, along with the State Flying Squad, launched in January, will further bolster the surge-capacity effort.

They will be backed up by landmark laws including Adult Crime, Adult Time and Jack’s Law.

New data shows crime is down across the state in the first seven months of the year compared to the same period last year, with break-ins down 10%, stolen cars down 3%, and robbery down 13%.

Premier David Crisafulli said the crime crackdown would harness the state’s specialist surge teams in combination with local police, to start turning the tide on youth crime.

“This surge brings together new resources and extra capacity to deliver the strongest, most targeted policing response Queensland has ever seen, to help restore safety,” Premier Crisafulli said.

“We are sending in the backup to these communities that have been under siege from youth crime, and with our stronger laws and more local police we can make Cairns and Townsville safer.

“While we are seeing the first positive signs of change with statewide crime down, victim numbers down and serious repeat offenders down, much more needs to be done to arrest youth crime and that’s why this major ground operation will start in Cairns and Townsville.

“We’ve delivered the tactical resources police need and with more police on the beat, we’re now sending in the full force of Queensland police to help arrest the Youth Crime Crisis.”

Minister for Police and Emergency Services Dan Purdie said the strategic policing effort was an example of what can happen when a government backs our police by giving them the laws and resources they need.

“Queenslanders have a government that puts their safety first,” Minister Purdie said.

“What we are delivering today is a strong, coordinated policing response that gives people back confidence and will help restore safety where they live.

“We’ve made Jack’s Law permanent, conducted targeted crackdowns under Operation Marshall, and deployed the State Flying Squad so police have the tools, the powers, and the people they need.

“These surge-capacity deployments bring all of that together in the communities that need it most.”

The Queensland Government delivered $147.9 million to equip officers with new tasers, body-worn cameras, radios, tactical first aid kits and other vital equipment.

A further $290.3 million has been committed to fund 1,600 new police recruits over the next four years, alongside upgraded stations, facilities and police beats across the state.

The Queensland Government has bolstered the frontline with more than 350 additional police including in regions hardest hit by crime.