Police Minister Mark Ryan highlights vital role of MOCS (Rural)

Mr Ryan highlighted the important role these rural specialist teams play right across Queensland in parliament on Wednesday.

He said recent reports circulating by the LNP that the Palaszczuk government refused to guarantee the future of Queensland's all-important service were wrong.

Mr Ryan's comments come in response to a question in parliament on Tuesday from Condamine MP Pat Weir to guarantee if the rural crime squads throughout Queensland would continue to be fully staffed and fully resourced standalone divisions of the Queensland Police Service.

Mr Ryan welcomed the question saying the Queensland Police Service had a very proud tradition of policing all parts of the state fairly and effectively.

"We have a very important investment in Major and Organised Crime Squads (Rural), and they are located right across the state in regional areas, keeping those communities safe and investigating those crimes which are unique to rural and regional Queensland," he said.

"MOCS (Rural) is a very important part of policing in Queensland.

"Those specialist teams will be staying right where they are, serving rural Queensland communities.

"If anyone doubts that, they can ask the Police Commissioner.

"Commissioner Carroll is adamant these specialist rural teams will stay where they are.

"The work the members of these teams do is very specialised and they are experts in their field."

Mr Ryan said it was nonsense for anyone to suggest the invaluable work of MOCS (Rural) would not continue.

"We know that the commissioner is very excited about the investment that our government has made in policing this year with our record police budget of $2.6 billion - more police in Queensland than ever before," he said.

"In fact, for the first time ever, there are more than 12,000 police in our state. We continue to invest right across the state, including new police facilities in regional areas of the state which includes the deployment of more police in the state."

MOCS (Rural) Detective Inspector Troy Pukallus said it remains a priority for them to ensure the security of the animal and agricultural industries in Queensland.

"We continue to do this by applying specialist skills and knowledge, building collaborative partnerships with property managers, and by initiating and implementing preventative strategies intended to disrupt stock and rural crime," Detective Inspector Pukallus said.

"MOCS Rural Detectives are located across Queensland in regional areas, often working alongside local police and other specialist areas such as the Firearms Team and Drug Squad."

During 2018 and 2019, MOCS (Rural) arrested 1142 people in relation to 3896 charges for multiple offences.

"This work has included conducting protracted drug trafficking and stock theft operations and assuming responsibility for the QPS response to biosecurity and trespass offences committed by activists," he said.

In addition to their core duties, MOCS (Rural) provides support to the district for local operations, during peak periods and has a response capability for disaster and other state-wide or localised responses, such as natural disasters and the current COVID-19 response.