THE Queensland Police Service’s response to youth crime is being significantly strengthened, with the former Youth Crime Taskforce now restructured and renamed as the Youth Crime Group, operating under the powerful Crime and Intelligence Command.
The move was announced last week by the Crisafulli Government, with the group now working alongside elite police units that tackle murder, child exploitation, organised crime, and major drug operations.
Police Minister Dan Purdie said the transformation marked a new era of serious commitment to community safety.
The group has been made permanent through a $15.4 million funding commitment over four years, announced earlier this year. The funding secures the roles of 16 specialist officers who will focus on serious, repeat youth offenders in key crime hotspots across Queensland.
The structural change embeds youth crime as a top-tier priority within the police service, according to Acting Police Commissioner Shane Chelepy, who said the decision reflects a long-term strategy rather than a short-term fix.
“This is about embedding youth crime as a core policing priority, not a temporary initiative,” Acting Commissioner Chelepy said.
“The Youth Crime Group will sit within the Crime and Intelligence Command, ensuring stronger coordination and alignment with other specialist capabilities.”
“This structure gives us the consistency, capability and leadership needed to deliver a unified response to crime and to keep our communities safe.”
The government says the Youth Crime Group will now operate with greater intelligence-sharing, strategic focus, and the kind of high-level support typically reserved for major criminal investigations — a move it claims will help restore community confidence and deliver lasting results.
