Viral police pursuit video in WA's north puts government under pressure

Viral police pursuit video leads to call for 'proactive solutions' in Kununurra Fri 7 Aug 2026 at 2:10pm In short: A community leader has questioned whether another increased police deployment will address youth crime in WA's east Kimberley. Footage of a teenage boy leading police on a dangerous chase through Kununurra has been viewed by millions of people around the world. What's next? The state government has plans to establish a night space for at-risk youth but the project is months away from fruition. Community leaders in Western Australia's far north have questioned whether a surge in police officers will be enough to address the latest crime wave to hit the region. Footage of a teenage boy behind the wheel of an alleged stolen car leading police on a chase through Kununurra has been watched by millions of people around the world this week. The east Kimberley town, 3,200km north of Perth, has long struggled with youth crime, with stolen cars and police pursuits commonplace in recent years. The footage has made national and international news, led to an influx of additional police officers and restarted the conversation about how to manage youth offending in the outback town. WA Police, under Operation Regional Shield, have dispatched two teams of officers to Kununurra in a bid to address the recent offending. 'Reactive' solution Regional Shield sees police rotate teams of officers from Perth into regional towns hit by crime waves. It was launched in response to previous youth crime issues in the Kimberley in 2022 and expanded across the state. Since its inception the WA Police Union has questioned its sustainability and whether other agencies should step in and help. Shire of Wyndham East Kimberley president David Menzel said he welcomed the latest deployment. But he said it was not the long-term solution his community wanted. "It's reactive, it's not proactive," Mr Menzel said. "We're grateful the support is there and the police come, but the community wants proactive stuff." Mr Menzel said the situation had not improved since youth crime in Kununurra garnered substantial media attention in October 2025. He highlighted the need for a youth focused "night space" and wraparound services for at-risk youth and their families. "We're not progressing. It's the same behaviours returning from the same group of people," Mr Menzel said. "There's a fair bit of dangerous behaviour. Ultimately, it's not going to end well for someone. "We're not comfortable with the rate of progress." Need for a youth space In response to growing pressure on the issue, newly appointed Corrective Services Minister Tony Buti said the Kununurra Night Space was a government measure to improve the situation. However, the Kununurra Night Space is not yet in operation. Night spaces have been accredited with a drop in youth offending in other Kimberley towns such as Fitzroy Crossing. The Kununurra version has faced delays with some community opposition due to its proposed location on an abandoned sandalwood plantation. It is the second proposed location for the $5.9 million facility after a plan to establish it in a light industrial area was opposed by local businesses. Mr Buti said "ongoing discussions" were taking place with stakeholders. "The proposed site on Ivanhoe Road prioritises community safety," he said. "A shed on the property will be substantially refurbished to create the night space and its immediate surroundings cleared. "The night space will be strictly non-residential and time limited, with young people transported by vehicle to and from the premises." There is no open date for the facility. Police numbers surge WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch said youth crime was cyclical and something the community was tired of. "We will see flare ups. The community gets significantly involved in addressing these issues and we'll see it calm down," he said. "But that doesn't mean it won't flare up later on down the track." Kimberley District Superintendent John Hutchsion said community safety "remained our priority." "This operation provides additional police resources to support local officers in responding to youth offending and antisocial behaviour occurring during the evening," he said. "By increasing our police presence through targeted and proactive patrols we aim to deter offending behaviour, identify those involved in criminal activity, and enhance community safety." Superintendent Hutchison asked for people to report what they saw to Crime Stoppers. "I would like to thank the Kununurra community for its ongoing support and cooperation," he said. "Our message is clear: we will continue working closely with our partners and the community to address offending behaviour, provide reassurance to local residents, and maintain community safety throughout Kununurra and the surrounding region."