THERE are few police officers who can make a bust on horseback, patrol the land on motorbikes and roll out the swag for a kip once the day's work is done.

The Stock and Rural Crime Investigation Squad do just that, protecting the interests of this region's farmers and property owners, dealing with everything from livestock theft to trespass.

Detective Sergeant Brendan Murphy heads the Toowoomba SARCIS office and runs cattle on a small property at Pittsworth.

"I was in specialist squads in Brisbane for years, witness protection, surveillance, and then CIB,” he explained.

"Then I ended up in Toowoomba, and took a likening to the stock squad.

"I've been doing it for 10 or so years now.”

The detective said with sky-rocketing cattle prices, their role on the land was proving more important than ever.

"The prices of cattle are quite strong at the moment, and what we've found is cockies are counting a lot harder,” Det Sgt Murphy said.

"In the past they might have just written missing cattle off as a snake bite or getting their numbers wrong.

"Now they're starting to report missing stock, because anything on four legs could be worth $1000.”

Previously known as the Stock Squad, the primary function of SARCIS is to investigate and prevent stock and rural crime throughout Queensland.

"We're the footprint of major crime and organised crime in the bush,” Det Sgt Murphy said.

"But we have a specialist skill set, so everyone who is tied up with the stock squad has some type of ability in stock management, horse and motorbike riding.

"They give us a work horse, and I keep mine at home.

"We've got to have the ability to muster properties if need be.

"If there's a suspicion that there may be cattle that are stolen, we have to have that ability to muster that paddock and identify any stock in there that might be a bit suspect.”

The squad are currently looking into missing calves from Killarney, and four droughtmaster heifers from Riverton among other jobs.

"If regional and rural police crews need our help, we can go and act as support,” Det Sgt Murphy said.

"Say if they need to look at a particular fella for drugs, we might go and assist by searching the property on motorbikes.

"We've had some good wins over the years, especially in stock theft.

"We've also had some successful property cases.

"We located tens of thousands of dollars in mining equipment on a rural property.

"That's just a whole another area we have to cover.”

He said the idea of real 'cattle rustlers' making stock theft their livelihood, was a reality.

"There are big numbers up north,” he said.

"What you find on bigger places, and even around here, is that absentee landlords is a concern,” he said.

"They might drop into the property once a fortnight, but neighbours or other people who know the movements of the property owners and will take advantage of that.

"There is an organised component to a percentage of it, but there's also that opportunistic side of it.”

As part of the call of duty, the squad spend plenty of time on the land.

"We're away two nights every fortnight, depending on what's happening,” he said.

"We're set up with camping gear, roll out the swag, or stay in a motel, depending on what's required.

"We might be doing patrols of an area, or be working big days and spend the night, and do a bit more out there the next day.”

There are 10 rural squad offices across that state.

"Our region runs from the range along the border out to the other side of Goondiwindi, St George and up the Bunyas,” he said.

"Roma has a two-men office, further out at Charleville they have two

men, Rockhampton has a sergeant and four plain police officers.”

If you require the services of the SARCIS contact local police, Crime Stoppers or directly on 46142114.