Queensland Police Union leader, Shane Prior, has raised concerns about the critical state of watch houses throughout Queensland. Recent reports indicated that a man accused of assaulting a police officer was granted bail despite the Brisbane City Watch House operating near full capacity. Prior called this situation “appalling,” asserting that the individual should have been held in custody.
Data released showed alarming overcrowding across major watch houses, with the Brisbane facility at 115% capacity, Townsville at 120%, and Cairns at 103%. This crisis stems from Queensland Corrective Services failing to collect prisoners promptly, placing police personnel in precarious situations amid the excess.
Within the Brisbane City Watch House, a significant 76% of detainees consisted of corrections prisoners—individuals who had either been denied bail or had missed their return to prison following court appearances. Similar trends were noted in other locations, such as Richlands and Caboolture, where the majority of inmates were not recent arrests by the Queensland Police Service (QPS).
Prior expressed frustration over what he termed the ‘farce’ of watch houses becoming overcrowded, pointing out that they are not intended to function as makeshift care facilities for prisoners. He highlighted the irrationality of being unable to detain individuals who legally should be held because of existing overcrowding.
In response to the situation, Corrective Services Queensland maintains that they are legally granted 21 days to collect prisoners, asserting that most are picked up within seven days. Prior critiqued this timeframe as “inadequate,” advocating for urgent legislative changes to address the backlog.
Moreover, Corrective Services Minister Laura Gerber is awaiting a review from the QPS regarding watch houses before contemplating any amendments to the existing laws. Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski acknowledged the systemic pressure and stressed the need for actions across the board to alleviate the burden on watch houses. He recognised the presence of many individuals in custody, particularly young offenders, who do not necessarily belong there.
The growing issue of overcrowding in Queensland’s watch houses raises urgent questions about the efficiency of the corrective services system and the safety of police officers, necessitating immediate reform to improve the state’s criminal justice management.