Queensland police in the Torres Strait have 31 new "eyes and ears on the ground" after taking over responsibility for the local community liaison officers in 14 island communities.
Concerns have long been raised about the lack of police resources covering 40,000 square kilometres of water and hundreds of islands between Papua New Guinea and Cape York.
Last week's arrival of asylum seekers from West Papua also highlighted borders security issues.
The move comes after years of talks with the Torres Strait Island Regional Council, which refused to continue funding community police, saying it was not a council responsibility.
Inspector David Lacey on Thursday Island told Queensland correspondent Stefan Armbruster, it is part of an ongoing police build-up in the Torres Strait.
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