‘Darwin Police Prison’ break-in

Darwin ‘Police Prison’ break-in leads CBD cop shop to shut shop. Read the details.

An incident resulted in the closure of the front counter of Darwin Police station on Monday. The city station is currently being used as a corrections facility for 50 prisoner. Picture: Zizi Averill

A Darwin CBD cop shop — which doubles as a ‘police prison’ — has shut shop following significant damage to its front doors and interior.

NT Police confirmed in a statement a 27-year-old man had been arrested in relation to the damage, which police claim occurred early Monday morning.

The police station — located at the Mitchell Centre in Darwin CBD — has been used to house overflow prisoners as the number of incarcerated Territorians continues to soar.

Members of the public were asked to attend another police station as Darwin CBD police station remained closed to the public. Picture: Zizi Averill

Corrections data confirmed there were 50 people being held in the “Darwin Police Prison” on the morning of the incident.

The use of police watch houses for corrections overflow has been widely condemned by both the Corrections and Police unions who warned of significant safety and security concerns.

These facilities are labelled “police prisons” in internal communications, with a further 132 incarcerated at “Palmerston Police Prison” and 81 inmates at “Alice Springs Police Prison” as of Monday.

The use of “police prisons” has been widely condemned by corrections and police. Picture: Zizi Averill

This forms part of the record breaking 2628 prisoners in Northern Territory corrections facilities as of January 6, up from 2598 at the end of last year one week ago.

The number of prisoners in these “police prisons” continues to grow, despite both the Labor and CLP governments committing to hand back the stations to police.

Prison numbers in these facilities on November 18 last year numbered 151 — meaning a 74 per cent increase in seven weeks.

The cop shop remained shut as of late Monday afternoon, with members of the public asked to attend another police station or make their reports online or via the phone.

Originally published as ‘Darwin Police Prison’ break-in