Senior Constable Jason Davie, who works as a general duties officer in Brisbane's Chinese community of Sunnybank, said learning how to speak Mandarin was like "teaching an old dog new tricks".
Key points:
- Queensland police officers on Brisbane's southside have been learning how to speak Chinese-Mandarin
- It's one of the ways QPS is trying to alleviate growing concern from residents that crime is on the rise
- A new police operation is also underway to increase police presence in Sunnybank and surrounds
"[They say] oh this guy is taking the time to learn a little bit about our culture, about our language, perhaps they're not so bad after all … even though I'm getting a ticket, I might do it with a smile," he said.
"I've had people ask to record me while I'm speaking to them through the window … and they're so shocked to see a white guy speaking Chinese."
A number of Queensland police officers on Brisbane's southside have been learning how to speak Chinese-Mandarin as a way to better communicate with the people in suburbs like Sunnybank and surrounds — an initiative started by Acting Senior Sergeant Michael Morier.
"Sunnybank has over 30 per cent of Chinese speaking population and surrounding suburbs are close to that. So it's about addressing our core clientele's concerns," he said.
"If we can say a couple of words to victims of crime and it makes them feel that little bit more comfort when they're going through those experiences, then it's a success."
Sergeant Ray Van Den Bosch of the Upper Mt Gravatt road policing unit said learning the language had given him an increased sense of empathy and patience for people with non-English backgrounds.
"I know I've been guilty in the past of thinking people are purposely not understanding or pretending not to understand what I was saying," he said.
"But getting involved in learning a language like Mandarin has given me an insight into how difficult it is for those people.
"Where I do use it the most is when I'm performing random roadside breath tests.
"I'll just say 'ni hao' and you can just see a relaxed expression, or a facial expression of comfort or ease."
The classes at Griffith University are just one of the ways Queensland police officers are trying to alleviate the growing concerns of residents, who say crime has dramatically increased in the area.
The QPS also launched Operation Romeo Airtight — a six month action plan to increase police presence at major shopping and licensing venues, and improve community engagement.
Lindy Chen of the Sunnybank Chamber of Commerce said the community was still living in fear of being targeted by thieves, in the wake of the tragic murder of Brisbane doctor Luping Zeng, who was gunned down at his home in Macgregor during a robbery.
She said there needed to be a more permanent fix, such as a 24 hour police station.
"The crime rate in the area has dramatically increased… this is a fundamental concern the community has," she said.
"We have noticed there is more police appearance in Sunnybank Plaza … that's a very good thing … a very positive thing … we definitely welcome that, however we feel that's a patch of the problem," she said.
"The fundamental issue is actually dealing with the law, it is not tough enough … penalties for offenders is not strong enough, especially for underage offenders, like teenagers. They are repeat offenders."
Acting Senior Sergeant Morier said statistically there was no evidence to suggest the area was being targeted more than others.
"Obviously if they've got the perception that they are being targeted then it's our job to make sure they feel safe in the community," he said.
Stanley Hsu, who has lived in the Sunnybank area for 30 years, and has owned businesses there for half that time, said he had been broken into at home at least 10 times, while his retail stores had also been targeted.
"I think that it's really great that the rally is raising a lot of people's awareness and educating people about how to face all sorts of crime, because crime isn't just about law … crime is about a culture of our society in general," he said.
"Yes, we do have a crime issue here in South Brisbane but I don't think it's unique to us, I think it's a Queensland problem.
"How do we reduce juvenile issues? At my storefronts, they steal products not because they really want the products, they steal products because they've got nothing to do … they want to antagonise my staff, have an adrenaline rush.
"Are we supporting our sporting clubs enough locally? It's not just law and order, I think we need to look at our social fabric and to see how we can prevent it in the first place."
Sunnybank local Johnson Chen said he felt the QPS was doing the best they could, and it was also up to members of the community to be responsible for their own safety.
"On that front, the QPS have actually done a lot of work with safety seminars for international students and community organisations, to try and bring awareness to the forefront," he said.
"If you're out at night not paying attention to your surroundings, showing your wallet, not looking after your own belongings, and people hiding in the shadows notice what you have and you have your earphones in … you're not going to be able to combat or be aware of your situation.
"It's been a good wakeup call and a very timely reminder for everybody that safety is everybody's concern, not just the Queensland police, because everybody needs to be responsible for it.
"A lot of it [crime] is opportunistic … so if you were to increase your own awareness, you can minimise the risk."
There have been a number of safety forums being held in the area in conjunction with Queensland police, as well as a community-led series of videos circulating in the popular Chinese app WeChat, teaching locals how to be aware of their own personal safety.
"People need to be kept safe and feel protected," Member for Stretton Duncan Pegg said.
"I fully support the extra resources that have been put in to protect my local community and I will continue to fight for any resources necessary to make sure we are not a target for criminals."