Why the growing number of vigilantes in response to youth crime in Townsville is worrying the Indigenous community

Just before 11pm on a Tuesday night, half a dozen police teams gather for a briefing in a retail car park on Townsville’s south-western fringe.

“There’s probably about three distinct hot spots,” explains Senior Sergeant Jason Brosnan.

“The name of the game tonight is find them, identify them, photograph, video them, turn them over and send them home.”

This is Operation Swordfish — involving the deployment of up to five extra crews in…