Police burnt out juggling jobs in DV-hit state

It found the service should realign back to the frontline to keep up with demands which include almost 600 domestic and family violence jobs each day.

Queensland Police respond to up to 180,000 domestic and family violence calls every year and need more support, the report revealed.

"We've got to start turning this ship around," Queensland Police Union president Shane Prior said on Tuesday.

"I want to see Corrective Services actually picking up their prisoners. 

"Things have got to change."

Submissions from hundreds of officers, focus groups and round tables were received on how to improve police operations during the 100-day review, resulting in 65 recommendations tabled on Tuesday.

It found officers were stretched and fatigued as they juggled other duties like guarding prisoners at hospitals while dealing with domestic violence along with 60,000 mental health callouts a year.

The number of calls for service to domestic and family violence incidents in Queensland increased by 218 per cent from 2012-2024, the review said.

Queensland has been hit hard by domestic violence with 19,658 offenders recorded in 2023-24 behind NSW's 34,055 offenders, national data shows.

A key recommendation will be to restructure the organisation to ensure frontline services are supported and rerouted, Acting Commissioner Shane Chelepy said on Tuesday.

"They need those resources in the regions, in the stations, not in Brisbane," he said.

The review also called for a reduction in senior executive positions from 44 to 26.

"The executive leadership team has become too big and has lost its focus on core service delivery - this report supports that," Mr Chelepy said.

Queensland Police Minister Dan Purdie said the review's recommendations would now be considered by cabinet.

"The review paints a clear picture that our police have been asked to do too much with too little," he said.

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