Police, Fire and Emergency Services Minister Mark Ryan officially handed over the buggy worth $30,000 to acting Superintendent Chris Hodgman at the Mount Isa Airport on Wednesday. 

“It’s worth every cent,” Mr Ryan said. 

“It will be used almost immediately. This afternoon.”  

“It’s part of a state wide roll-out.” 

The Police Minister said the buggies were useful for police operations even in metropolitan cities such as Logan, not only for accessibility in areas a more traditional police vehicle cannot get to, but also for community engagement. It built repertoire between police and the public. 

Acting Superintendent Hodgman agreed, saying; “people come to us and say ‘what’s that?’ and we can tell them about it.”

The new Polaris Razr will also be used for events in remote places such as Birdsville and Bedourie.

19 local officers have been trained to use the buggy through the expertise of Sergeant Chris Mitchell. 

Last August the Mount Isa Police District borrowed “the green machine” Arctic Cat buggy from Townsville to use during the Birdsville races and to travel in places such as the Leichhardt riverbed. 

It had been conditionally registered to be on the road, but its main purpose was for police to make patrols in terrain difficult to access places where four-wheel-drive vehicles were not suitable. 

​​The buggy has environmental, accessibility and safety advantages over a four-wheel-drive vehicle, Acting Superintendent Hodgman said. 

At that time some members of the local online community suggested that police were joyriding in the buggy. 

Acting Superintendent Hodgman said he had little time for “keyboard warriors” and that these buggies were “for more serious aspects” in policing.

He acknowledged police were entitled to enjoy their job but that they would not be abusing or hooning in their new equipment.

“This is a serious bit of kit.

“If people think that they are (hooning), they can come and see me.”