Queensland Police have reported the seizure of more than 1,400 weapons following the expansion of Jack’s Law, with new figures released as authorities continue to use handheld metal detectors in public places to identify people carrying weapons.

The figures show that Queensland Police have conducted almost 200,000 weapon scans since the expanded powers came into effect in July 2025. Across the state, officers scanned 198,469 people and seized 1,439 weapons. Police also recorded 2,934 arrests connected to 5,810 offences during the period covered by the latest figures. The information was reported on September 5, 2026.

Jack’s Law allows police to conduct weapon searches without a warrant in designated high-risk public locations. These locations can include safe-night precincts, transport hubs, shopping centres and sporting or entertainment venues. The legislation was introduced to help police detect and remove dangerous weapons before they can potentially be used in violent incidents.

Police have described the results as an important public-safety measure. Among the weapons seized were knives, machetes and a samurai sword. Authorities have said the confiscated weapons have been destroyed, preventing them from being returned to the community.

The latest figures have also renewed discussion about the effectiveness and impact of the law. Queensland Police and government representatives argue that removing weapons from public spaces can reduce the potential for serious violence. They say officers cannot know whether a weapon being carried in a public place might later be used during an assault or other offence.

At the same time, the data has raised questions about how the powers are being applied. More than one in ten people searched under the expanded Queensland powers identified as First Nations people, compared with their proportion of the Queensland population. Government representatives have defended the legislation, saying the powers apply to everyone in designated public locations rather than targeting particular communities.

For communities across Queensland, the figures demonstrate the scale of police activity under the weapon-detection program. In the Brisbane region alone, police conducted approximately 54,000 scans and seized about 300 weapons, with the operations resulting in hundreds of arrests and thousands of charges.

The Cairns region is part of the wider Queensland policing environment in which Jack’s Law operates. However, the latest figures are statewide and should not be interpreted as 1,439 weapons being seized specifically in Cairns.

The law is named in honour of Jack Beasley, a 17-year-old who was fatally stabbed during a night out on the Gold Coast in 2019. His family supported the introduction and expansion of the legislation, which was subsequently made permanent.

The latest statistics provide an indication of how frequently police are using the weapon-detection powers and the number of prohibited or dangerous items being removed from public spaces. Police say the ultimate objective is prevention: detecting weapons before they contribute to serious incidents and improving safety in Queensland communities.