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OCTOBER 18, 2024
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Crime busters EXCLUSIVE: Police to join council staff in City Safe nerve centre l CAIRNS REGION | Nick Dalton POLICE are to work alongside Cairns Regional Council staff in the region’s City Safe CCTV nerve centre to monitor and act faster on crime as it is happening. The council’s CCTV network currently includes nearly 600 cameras across Cairns. More than half are in public spaces such as streets, parks and community spaces, which are monitored 24 hours. Queensland Police and the council will operate a trial involving a police officer working in the camera room at peak times when high levels of anti-social behaviour occur, such as late on Friday and Saturday nights. Mayor Amy Eden said the trial was another proactive measure by the council in tackling crime, on top of the more than $5 million worth of measures already undertaken in community safety, despite it not being a primary responsibility of local government. “Council’s City Safe camera network is an important tool in the collective mission to keep the Cairns CBD safe,” she said. “With police officers in the control room, we can respond quickly and effectively to incidents and ensure that our com-
munity feels secure. It’s all about our efforts to create a safer environment for locals, tourists and business owners and staff. “I am confident that this trial will prove valuable for all involved. “We will be closely monitoring the feedback from officers and council staff and the results to make any necessary adjustments. “I thank (district officer) Chief Superintendent Kevin Fitzgibbon and Queensland Police for embarking on this trial with council at our City Safe camera facility, delivering another step forward in our already strong partnership.” Mr Fitzgibbon said he was confident the trial would further strengthen the working relationship between police and the City Safe camera system. “The City Safe camera network is an incredibly important and valuable tool police use to keep the Cairns CBD safe,” he said. “Having police in the control room assisting council staff will provide an additional capacity, allowing us to direct patrols to hotspot areas and respond to active incidents in the CBD. “Our City Beat and Cairns station police continue to patrol the CBD, to ensure the community not only is safe, but feels safe.”
Mayor Amy Eden and Chief Superintendent Kevin Fitzgibbon in the council’s City Safe CCTV control room where a police officer will help monitor trouble during peak times. Picture: Cairns Regional Council
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Outsider to head council l CAIRNS REGION | Nick Dalton KEN Gouldthorp (below), a chief executive officer with experience in disaster management and rebuilding from severe floods, has been appointed as the new CEO of Cairns Regional Council. His appointment, which pays about $420,000 a year, was unanimously agreed to by councillors at a special meeting yesterday. Mayor Amy Eden did not take part in the appointment nor was at yesterday’s meeting chaired by deputy mayor Brett Olds. Interim CEO John Andrejic, a previous council boss, was on the shortlist but Cr Olds said he was confident Mr Gouldthorp was “the best person for the job” as agreed unanimously by councillors. Cr Olds said the new CEO would “hit the ground running”, starting early next month. Mr Gouldthorp has been involved in local government for more than 20 years, most recently as the interim CEO at Isaac Regional Council (from August 2023 to June 2024). CONTINUED PAGE 2
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