31 Oct 2012

Queensland Police make changes to reflect community

7:14 pm on 31 October 2012

A Queensland policeman says the way officers deal with different racial groups - including Maori - is a far cry from when he joined the force 30 years ago.

Sergeant Paul Tanzer is in charge of the cross cultural unit in the Logan District between Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

He says the recent korowai or Maori cloak gifting ceremony and the recruitment of more Maori officers are signs that the Queensland Police Service is embracing change.

Sergeant Tanzer says there were no police liaison officers nor were there any cross cultural liaison units when he started in 1982.

He says the Queensland Police is evolving to reflect the changes in their community.

Sergeant Tanzer says with 190 different ethnic groups in his area, the police reaction is to make their organisation more diverse.