Just one month into Operation Forge, the results are already demonstrating what decisive action on crime looks like.
Across Queensland, 1,317 people have been charged with a staggering 2,972 offences as part of this statewide crackdown targeting break-ins, robberies and stolen vehicles. This includes 815 adults charged with 1,541 offences and 502 juveniles charged with 1,431 offences.
In the Far North district
- 169 people charged with 351 offences
- 85 adults on 155 offences
- 84 juveniles on 196 offences
- 207 recruits delivered since the October election including 9 officers at Thursday night’s graduation (March 26)
Operation Forge was launched as a direct response to the youth crime crisis that escalated under the former Labor Government. It is a high-visibility, intelligence-led operation designed to target high-risk and repeat offenders, the individuals responsible for a disproportionate amount of crime in our communities.
This is a coordinated effort bringing together specialist police resources, including the Criminal Investigation Branch, Child Protection and Investigation Unit, tactical crime squads, POLAIR, forensic services and intelligence teams. It is exactly the kind of focused, strategic policing effort that was missing for too long.
The scale of the challenge we inherited cannot be understated. Over the past decade, Queensland saw a 193 per cent increase in the number of victims of crime. Youth car theft alone surged from 2,155 offences in 2014 to more than 7,000 in 2024.
That trajectory was unsustainable and Queenslanders were paying the price.
But we are turning the tide.
Already, Queensland has recorded a 7.2 per cent reduction in the number of victims of crime in 2025 compared to the previous year. While there is more work to be done, this is an encouraging early sign that stronger laws, targeted policing and clear priorities are making a difference.
Importantly, this crackdown is being backed by a significant investment in frontline policing. Since the October 2024 election, 1,625 new recruits have been sworn in, a major milestone in rebuilding the Queensland Police Service after years of decline.
More police on the beat, backed by better coordination and stronger action, means safer communities.
Operation Forge is about restoring confidence that crime will be taken seriously, that offenders will be held accountable, and that community safety comes first.
This is what delivering on commitments looks like.
