The Queensland Government is delivering on its commitment to establish a landmark new mental health support framework for current and former police officers.

As part of that commitment, $5.5 million will be invested into the Queensland Police Union’s newly-established charity, Cop Care. 

The investment will fund a new clinically-led mental health triage service and 24/7 peer support line – Copline  – staffed by veteran police officers, providing frontline personnel with immediate access to support from people who understand the realities of policing. 

The Queensland Government is making Queensland safer and giving our police the tools and resources they need. 

Cop Care has been established in partnership with world leading trauma and mental health experts, including Griffith University’s Dr Jacqueline Drew, with a focus on prevention, early intervention, trauma-informed care and keeping experienced officers in the job. 

The new services will work alongside existing Queensland Police Service wellbeing programs and provide pathways into specialist treatment and psychological support where needed for current and former police.  

Cop Care will be overseen by an experienced board including former Queensland Police Service Commissioner Bob Atkinson, and retired QPS Assistant Commissioner Brian Codd.

This critical investment in the wellbeing of hardworking Queensland police officers is just another example of how the Queensland Government is strengthening the frontline and restoring safety where you live.  

This new framework comes as the Queensland Government continues to rebuild the frontline, with more than 1,600 new officers joining the Queensland Police Service in the past 18 months, taking the Service beyond 13,000 officers for the first time in the State’s history.    

Since October 2024  the Queensland Government has delivered a net increase of more than 708 more officers on the beat.   

The Queensland Government is backing police with stronger laws and more boots on the ground which is already delivering early results with a 7.2 per cent drop in the number of victims of crime in Queensland in 2025, compared to the previous year.    

The Queensland Government is also delivering $290.3 million for new and upgraded police facilities across Queensland and $147.9 million for critical police equipment.  

Premier David Crisafulli said today’s announcement was about delivering the resources frontline police needed to make Queensland safer. 

“This is about giving our police the tools, resources and support they need, in their time of need, in the way they need it,” Premier Crisafulli said. 

“We made a promise we’d have their back, and this is just one of the ways we are delivering, exactly as we said we would. 

“Our police put themselves on the line every single day and we’ll never stop supporting our officers to help restore safety where you live.”  

Minister for Police and Emergency Services Dan Purdie said the Queensland Government was delivering the support police had been calling for. 

“The Queensland Police Union made it clear their members wanted mental health support they could trust, and that’s exactly what the Queensland Government is delivering,” Minister Purdie said.  

“This $5.5 million investment will provide current and former officers with immediate access to peer support and expert care pathways, while helping retain experienced police on the frontline. 

 “It comes as we continue to bolster police numbers to record levels.” 

Queensland Police Union President Shane Prior said Cop Care had been designed by police, for police. 

“Cop Care will deliver world-leading programs to Queensland for the first time – interventions proven to reduce PTSD, depression and anxiety in police cohorts and when an officer hangs up their uniform for the last time these life-saving initiatives - including the newly-established Copline Australia - will still be there,” Mr Prior said.  

“Behind every badge is a person and you cannot build a safe community with a broken workforce – investing in the wellbeing of our officers is investing in the safety of every Queenslander.”