No. A crowd controller cannot carry handcuffs or a baton simply because they hold a crowd controller licence. Under section 67 of the Weapons Act 1990, a person must not possess or acquire a restricted item without a reasonable excuse, and the Act specifically states that crowd control is not a reasonable excuse. Handcuffs and batons are both prescribed as restricted items under the Weapons Categories Regulation 1997. This is an important distinction because the rules can be different for a security officer (unarmed) performing legitimate security duties where possession may be supported by a lawful reasonable excuse.

However, simply holding an unarmed security officer licence does not automatically give you a blanket authority to carry handcuffs or a baton. The circumstances, duties being performed and Weapons Act requirements still matter. If an appropriately licensed unarmed security officer is going to carry this equipment as part of their employment, BARS Training Australia strongly recommends completing specific handcuff and baton training first. This is not simply about possessing the equipment – you need to understand safe handling, lawful application, use-of-force considerations and the risks associated with restraining another person.

Employers and their insurers may also impose their own training and operational requirements. Queensland does not issue a standalone “handcuff and baton licence” as such; rather, possession is governed by the restricted-item provisions of the Weapons Act. If you are working solely as a crowd controller, the answer is straightforward: crowd control itself is expressly not a reasonable excuse for possessing these restricted items.