Queensland Police in Townsville are being forced to watch juveniles speed past in stolen cars due to the state’s controversial no pursuit policy.
Sky News accompanied Townsville officers on an evening patrol and despite multiple speeding and stolen vehicles being spotted, they were not able to be intercepted.
It comes amid an escalating youth crime crisis in Townsville, with police laying 1,279 property crime charges this year alone. Of those, 615 have been levelled against juvenile offenders.
Senior Sergeant Jason Brosnan explained that there are currently very few circumstances when police can chase a stolen vehicle at speed.
“If someone’s about to go and commit a murder or take someone’s life, then we can pursue”, Senior Sergeant Brosnan told Sky News.
“The benefit and the necessity to intercept that vehicle has to be weighed up with the danger and the risk to the public.”
While the no pursuit policy has been legislated since 2011, the public rarely gets to see