Community & Business
28 April, 2025
Meet Oakey’s new top cop
After acting in the role for almost a year, Sergeant James Leahy has slipped easily into his new position as Oakey Police Station’s Officer in Command.
Talking with the Champion, the new Sergeant said Oakey would see a number of new initiatives rolled out in coming months.
“The team I have at Oakey are hard working and driven to serve their community and to make a difference within our community,” he said.
“I have seen a changing of the guard at Oakey with several new Officers arriving that bring a fresh perspective and (who have) reinvigorated the Team. We are also a training Station for First Year Constables, assisting the next generation of country police.”
Educated at Tenterfield, Sergeant Leahy joined the Queensland Police Service in 2013 after a 10 year career with Queensland Corrective Services at Woodford, mostly as a dual certified Dog Handler.
He served initially at Caboolture Station, before moving to Redcliffe, Woodford, Chinchilla, Kilcoy and Toowoomba stations, and, most recently, the Goombungee station.
The bulk of his experience has been in Highway Patrol and General Duties in country areas.
Sergeant Leahy said a priority for him was engagement with Oakey’s large Indigenous population during his time in town.
“I am driven to build relationships (between) Police and our First Nations Community, with construction of (a) Yarning Circle to commence shortly to become a focal point of that evolution in engagement,” he said.
“This will work in unison with the DV Safe Space and Community Chair established at the Station since I arrived in May 2024.”
Sergeant Leahy comes with a reputation of being tough on road safety regulations, which was noted in the local Magistrates Court whilst he was stationed in Goombungee.
While at Kilcoy Station in 2021, he told Police Media he was not afraid to be unpopular to do his job properly.
“I do take road safety seriously and personally, and as unpopular as my face is when I am issuing a ticket or Notice to Appear, that one interaction may be the difference between the driver getting home safely or not getting home at all,” he said.
Oakey Neighbourhood Watch has sent its congratulations to Sergeant Leahy, who was the Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator at Chinchilla and helped start a Neighbourhood Watch Group in Kilcoy.
While off-duty, the new OIC has been the recipient of an Australia Day Bravery Award, and was also a Finalist in the Pride of Australia Awards after he disarmed a man with a knife who had critically injured two men on Waterworks Road in Brisbane.
Sergeant Leahy says he is keen to ensure that the Oakey station is proactive in its engagement with community and, with the help of New Acland Coal, has been involved with handing out free bike helmets to cyclists and e-scooter riders.
Sergeant Leahy says there are no more excuses for unsafe behaviour on bikes and e-scooters in town.
“No more cautions will be given for failing to wear a helmet, especially if that person has been issued with a helmet,” he said.
“It is also possible that bikes and electric scooters can be seized by police to stop the repetition of the offence.”
Outside of work, Sergeant Leahy has been a martial arts instructor, a QRL League Safe Trainer, a Surf Life Saver, a Camp Quality Carer and is also a trained chef.
He has even donned a costume in the name of charity, playing the role of Senior Constable Clancy the Koala at Redcliffe Hospital.
