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The Queensland Government is expanding the Sunshine Coast’s police helicopter service.
Under a $22.8 million investment over three years, the Sunshine Coast POLAIR base will be bolstered, with aerial operations to be extended into the Moreton Bay region. The base has seen 449 helicopter flights since January last year.
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In a statement, the State Government said the funding “secures upgraded equipment on existing aircraft and permanently bases trained POLAIR Tactical Flight Officers on the Sunshine Coast, ensuring seamless aerial support across the region”.
“The Crisafulli Government is making Queensland safer by backing our police with the resources, laws and support they need,” said Minister for Police and Emergency Services Dan Purdie.
“This investment means more eyes in the sky, faster response times on the ground, and stronger support for frontline officers keeping Sunshine Coast and Moreton Bay families safe.”
According to the Queensland Government’s statistics, the base has delivered “strong results for the community”, with 133 Code 1 and 2 calls for service responded to in under 12 minutes; 82 domestic and family violence calls for service; 139 stolen vehicle reports; and 221 offenders arrested in 2025.
“Throughout 2025, the Sunshine Coast-based aircraft has achieved strong results for the community, directly assisting local police with hundreds of operational tasks and offender apprehensions,” said Chief Inspector Daniel Bust.
“Expanding this into a full POLAIR capability for the next three years introduces trained Tactical Flight Officers performing specialist roles onboard, further strengthening our ability to support districts and keep communities safe.
“These outcomes are the result of strong collaboration with Surf Life Saving Queensland and ensuring every POLAIR deployment is aligned with operational priorities on the ground.”
Queensland Police in 2024 added three new Bell 429 helicopters to its South-East Queensland fleet, replacing two older aircraft.
According to then Queensland Police Minister Mark Ryan, the 429s, first announced in 2022, offer “vastly improved safety, technology, camera and night vision capabilities”.
“Increasing the SEQ POLAIR fleet by 50 per cent will significantly increase the operational capacity for police, which ultimately means a safer community,” he said at the time.
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