Queensland Police Service Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Multicultural Action Plan 2005-06

Download a printable version of the Action Plan 2005-06 ( 253 KB)

1. MISSION STATEMENT

We are determined to be a professional police service, dedicated to excellence and committed to working in partnership with the people of Queensland to enhance the safety and security of our community.

2. PURPOSE STATEMENT

To facilitate, develop and maintain effective relationships between members of the Queensland Police Service and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and multicultural communities.

To promote, within the Queensland Police Service, understanding of cultural diversity in contemporary Australian society, through appropriate recruitment, education, training, policy and program development and procedures.

3. PREFACE

The QPS recognises the value of a diverse community and the unique perspectives, experiences, knowledge and skills that all people bring to society.  We understand this diversity enriches our collective experience, knowledge, innovation and creativity and provides us with a platform on which to build our achievements.

The Service is committed to employing successful strategies that promote the benefits of a sustainable, diverse community.

The Service is committed to providing a quality service to all people in Queensland by promoting positive engagement with diverse communities. The cultural, linguistic and religious diversity of the population presents opportunities to enhance community engagement, towards positive policing outcomes. 

This plan reflects the efforts of the QPS, working with multicultural and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, to address diversity issues. This is achieved through programs and procedures that are responsive to specific community needs.  The plan has been developed in consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, multicultural communities and other policing, government and non-government stakeholders. 

The Service recognises that working with communities and government agencies requires understanding and commitment across all levels of the organisation.

The plan reflects the government values of access, cohesion and participation, whilst acknowledging “…the special position of the Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders as the first people of the land … their rich diversity in cultures and languages and contribution to Queensland.”  This plan also follows the tenets of broader government strategies in that it “…..promotes equal rights, responsibilities and opportunities for all Queenslanders, regardless of their cultural, ethnic, religious background or gender”.  It embraces the Queensland Government Policy Multicultural Queensland – Making the World of Difference. 

The Queensland Police Service operates in an environment that continues to present new challenges for planning future services. Providing appropriate policing services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and multicultural/ethnic peoples are among the challenges, as are other demographic and sociological issues which include: a high level of interstate migration; ageing population; a geographic diversity; and population dispersal.

The QPS recognises that policing diversity occurs in an ever-changing environment that requires constant evaluation of engagement strategies. The Service will ensure that a review of these strategies will occur every six months.

4. STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS

The QPS is guided by two additional sets of principles formulated and first adopted in 1995 and 1997.  These are:

• Strategic Directions for Policing with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and Communities; and
• Strategic Directions for Policing in Multicultural / Ethnic Communities.

In relation to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and communities, the Service endorses the following statements to:

1. Provide equitable and culturally appropriate services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to enable them to feel safe and secure.
2. Provide ongoing specialist support and advice to ensure equity in service delivery to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples throughout Queensland.
3. Provide and promote open, effective and visible communication with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and organisations.
4. Maximise the appropriate use of alternative action to arrest and ensure, when arrest is necessary, safe and secure custody.
5. Provide appropriate education for all police to increase their knowledge and interpersonal skills in policing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities.
6. Implement culturally sensitive human resource management and equal employment opportunity principles and practices.

In relation to multicultural / ethnic people and communities, the Service endorses the following statements to:

1. Ensure that Queensland Police Service policy and program development is responsive to the needs of multicultural communities.
2. Provide appropriate education for police to increase their knowledge and interpersonal skills in policing a multicultural society.
3. Provide ongoing specialist support and advice for the provision of equitable service delivery to multicultural communities throughout Queensland.
4. Provide and promote open, effective and visible communication with all multicultural/ethnic communities and organisations.
5. Implement culturally sensitive human resource management and equal employment opportunity principles and practices.

5. LINKS TO GOVERNMENT AND QUEENSLAND POLICE SERVICE STRATEGY

The Queensland Police Service is accountable to the Queensland community, through the Minister for Police, the Government and the Queensland Parliament, for the management of its resources and for its service delivery.

The Queensland Government has established a number of ‘priorities’ and ‘outcomes’ to provide a whole-of-government focus for planning the services to be provided to community and for the allocation of resources. 

The Queensland Police Service Outputs are focussed primarily on the priority, Protecting our children and enhancing community safety.  Within this priority, there are four strategic objectives that are relevant to the policing role.  These objectives are:

• Reform the child protection system for the wellbeing of Queensland children;
• Implement strategies which contribute to safe communities;
• Address crime and the social and economic causes of crime; and
• Minimise the risk and impact of accidents, emergencies and disasters.

The Queensland Police Service Strategic Plan 2004-2008 sets the strategic direction for the Service.  The Outputs within this document identify the key priority areas and strategies the Queensland Police Service uses to achieve its Mission.  The Strategic Plan also contains the indicators against which performance is measured.  This Diversity Plan contributes most directly to Output 1: Community Safety and Engagement.