Police commissioner Katarina Carroll has lost the confidence of the Queensland community in the face of out-of-control crime, and her resignation is a welcome development.

One Nation candidate for Keppel James Ashby said police morale was at an all-time low after the commissioner’s time in the top job.

“They say an organisation rots from the head, and that’s precisely what’s occurred within the Queensland Police Service,” Mr Ashby said. "Out-of-control criminals are deliberately targeting police with increasingly brazen tactics; police are even refusing to conduct patrols in marked vehicles to avoid it.

“More police are leaving the service than ever before, and it’s no wonder given the lack of support and resources provided to police to effectively deter and deal with escalating crime.

“Under recent changes made by Katarina Carroll and Labor, police are now taking recruits as young as 17 to plug the gaps. What life experience could a 17-year-old possibly have when it comes to protecting community safety or dealing with the greater public?

“Police are being restricted to desk duties following vexatious—and, more often than not, false—claims made against them by criminals, unable to do overtime while under investigation for these claims.

“Katarina Carroll threatened Queensland police with criminal charges and stood them down for refusing to accept COVID-19 jabs, further depleting police numbers at a time when we could least afford it.

“This is a police commissioner who has been more focused on climbing the greasy ladder instead of dealing effectively with Queensland’s worsening crim situation and standing up for the 17,000 police who look to her for leadership and support.

“Katarina Carroll will be remembered as a failed police commissioner. Her replacement has a lot of work to do restoring the morale and standing of the QPS, and effectively combating crime in Queensland.”