Police resourcing and low morale needs to be addressed immediately
5 January 2021

Police continue to be severely under-resourced in Darwin, Palmerston and the Northern Suburbs. With general duties officers asked to take on an ever-increasing list of additional obligations and the Darwin Watch House closed, resources are stretched thinner than ever, causing already low morale to worsen.
Mr Maley said: “The brutal attack of an unconscious man in the Darwin CBD on Christmas Eve, with the closest available unit over 20 kilometres away, illustrates just how serious this situation is.
“How can Territorians feel safe when the closest help in the event of a serious crime may be half-an-hour away or more?
The situation is even worse, considering the fact that low morale and lack of confidence in the Gunner Labor Government has caused a mass exodus of Territory police, with more than 10 officers now leaving per month according to the Northern Territory Police Association. 
“The Chief Minister and Police Minister are quick to tell Territorians that we have more police than last year, but with 10 leaving per month and many more being asked to forego leave, work very long hours and spend the holidays away from their families, that number does not seem credible,” said Mr Maley.
“At the very least, we are not seeing increased numbers on the street. There has been a persistent lack of available police resources in the Darwin and Palmerston area over the past few months, with valuable response time being taken up with officers driving arrestees out to Palmerston, due to the closing of the Darwin watch house.
Mr Maley concluded: “The most recent crime statistics showed that assaults were up 15 per cent and alcohol-related assaults were up 22 per cent across the Territory. Those numbers will only continue to rise if the Chief Minister and Police Minister do not address this issue immediately.”
 
ENDS

THE COUNTRY LIBERAL PARTY