Queensland Police are reassessing their vehicle pursuit policy, which the police union argues effectively allows car thieves to act with impunity.
Despite harsher “adult crime, adult time” penalties, car theft rates remain high in areas like Townsville, North Queensland, where a stolen vehicle recently interrupted an Anzac Day ceremony.
Under the current rules, officers may only initiate a pursuit if there is an immediate risk to life, threats to kill have been made, or a serious indictable offence has occurred. Police union president Shane Prior criticized the policy as overly restrictive.
“Frontline officers are frustrated, and the public sees the policy as unreasonable,” Prior said. “It essentially gives criminals in Queensland a free pass to drive without fear of consequences.”
A Queensland Police spokesperson confirmed that a policy review is in progress.
Minister shifts stance
Police Minister Dan Purdie, previously in favor of the current policy, has reconsidered his position in light of tougher sentencing measures.
“Now that police have stronger legal tools, we want to restore their ability to confront offenders directly, stop them, and bring them to justice,” Purdie stated, while emphasizing that operational policies remain under the commissioner’s control.
He added, “When urgent driving action is necessary, we want officers to feel supported by the government.”
Policy revision in motion
Though the existing pursuit policy doesn’t outright prohibit chasing stolen cars, it encourages alternatives like spike strips and roadblocks.
Stricter pursuit limits were enacted in 2011 following recommendations by Coroner Michael Barnes after ten pursuit-related deaths between 2005 and 2008.
A police spokesperson said the Safe Driving Policy is currently under review to improve officer and community safety while allowing pursuits when appropriate. He noted that while apprehending fleeing suspects remains a goal, direct pursuits may not always be the preferred approach.
Townsville tensions rising
In Townsville alone, more than 400 car thefts have been reported since the beginning of the year—up roughly 9% from the same period in 2024. Among the victims was local athlete Jake Doran, whose high-performance Kia Stinger was stolen Thursday and later found crashed after being driven erratically and accumulating an extra 800 kilometers.
“They obviously took it for a joyride—both the exterior and interior are wrecked,” Doran said. “Authorities need to stop these cars before they rack up hundreds of kilometers at dangerous speeds through Townsville.”
