The Queensland government has committed $100 million for the construction of a new Townsville Police Academy, as part of a broader investment in community safety infrastructure.
The new academy will be located at the site of the old 1300 Smiles Rugby League stadium, forming a key component of the new community safety precinct.
Co-located with the new Kirwan police station, a new Townsville PoliceLink, and several specialist Queensland Police Service (QPS) functions, the new academy aims to provide state-of-the-art facilities for education and training of police recruits and continuous skill enhancement for all QPS members.
It will join the existing campuses in Brisbane at Oxley and Wacol, forming a vital part of Queensland’s police training infrastructure.
QLD Premier Steven Miles emphasised the importance of the new academy, stating: “We will need to train hundreds more police and we want to train them in Townsville.”
Police Minister Mark Ryan echoed this sentiment, highlighting the need for world-class facilities to support modern policing demands.
QLD Minister for Resources and Critical Minerals and Member for Townsville Scott Stewart praised the decision to build the facility in Townsville, emphasising the benefits of local training for new police recruits.
Member for Mundingburra Les Walker also expressed gratitude for the investment, noting that it will enhance frontline police capabilities in the region.
Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski emphasised the significance of the project for both the Queensland Police and the local community, stating that it will provide state-of-the-art training facilities and equipment, as well as enhance policing in the North Queensland region.
Construction of the new Townsville Police Academy is expected to be completed over a four-year period, with a focus on providing purpose-built training facilities for scenario-based training to better protect vulnerable victims.