Premier Ben Carroll has announced a significant policy shift, committing that a re-elected Labor government would empower police and protective services officers (PSOs) to conduct random stop-and-search operations using handheld metal detectors. The move marks a departure from the party’s previous stance, as Carroll adopted the position previously held by the Coalition opposition.
The proposed legislation, known as “Jack’s Law,” is named after 17-year-old Jack Beasley, who was fatally stabbed in Surfers Paradise in 2019. Under the new powers, officers would be authorized to search individuals for knives without requiring prior suspicion.
The announcement comes amid criticism from experts who have warned that there is insufficient evidence to suggest that such random searches effectively reduce violent crime. Carroll made the commitment on Wednesday, aligning his government’s approach with the Coalition’s pledge introduced last year.
Jack’s Law should protect kids, not turn streets into police states. There has to be a better way than this.
I get the desire for safety, but random stops feel invasive. What happens if someone has nothing to hide?
Experts say this doesn’t reduce knife crime, yet they’re doing it anyway. Why ignore the evidence completely?
Wait, did Labor just adopt the Coalition’s exact policy? Where is the principle here? Feels like pure electioneering to me.
This is a huge step backward. Random searches disproportionately target young people without solving the root causes of violence.