COVID-19 and 2021

Key principles: Safety, Excellence, Empowerment, Respect, Accountability

TL;DR: Officer safety is our number one priority and the State Corrections Operation Centre remains active and the key coordination point for a statewide response to the pandemic in 2021.

WIIFM: Tools have been created to help clarify restrictions and provide support to QCS operations.

The last half of 2020 saw QCS continue to keep COVID-19 out of correctional facilities and focus on recovery following the pandemic.

As the virus circulates in relatively low numbers in Australia, QCS continues to show resilience and vigilance to ensure that the virus doesn’t enter correctional facilities.

Our focus in 2021 continues to be to ensure the safety of our officers and everyone in our care by adapting our operations based on health advice.

The State Corrections Operation Centre (SCOC) remains active and is the key coordination point for the statewide response to the pandemic, as required.

Assistant Commissioner Strategic Futures Command Phil Barrett said the SCOC collaborated and delivered important support across QCS operations to assist the organisation adapt as required in response to COVID-19.

“While the community transmission in Queensland remains very much under control, we continue to monitor and engage every day with all key Government stakeholders,” AC Barrett said.

“A number of clusters in other states have caused us to invoke certain restrictions at our centres, but our officers are now well versed on how to adapt to ensure that everyone remains safe.”

The Hotspot Response Planning Tool, developed by the SCOC, allow QCS to quickly and proportionally respond to any community outbreaks in accordance with health advice through a staged approach to restrictions, which may vary as required at any given time across different centres and community corrections offices.

These tools have been critical in helping provide clarity around the restrictions in place at any time, including relevant policies and an at-a-glance summary across the State.

To date, there have been no prisoners who have contracted COVID-19 in prisons in Queensland, which is a testament to the work of QCS officers.



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