Police Public Safety Officers: changes planned to target anti-social behaviour in public places

Hot on the heels of plans to boost public safety with a pepper spray trial, the CLP is undertaking more policing reforms targeting anti-social behaviour in public places. Watch the Chief Minister’s interview.

Hot on the heels of plans to boost public safety with a pepper spray trial the Finocchiaro CLP government is undertaking more policing reforms targeting anti-social behaviour in public places with new Police Public Safety Officers.

The new Police Public Safety Officers will see up to 56 officers (comprised of 34 Public Housing Safety Officers and 22 Transit Safety Officers) in NT Police uniform and deployed on the frontline by the first quarter of 2026.

Northern Territory Police are currently developing the new Police Public Safety Officer (PPSO) model intended to consolidate various auxiliary and safety officer roles into a “highly operational unit”.

Chief Minister and Police Minister Lia Finocchiaro says the new Police Public Safety Officer model will boost frontline presence and “deliver real community outcomes”

Chief Minister and Police Minister Lia Finocchiaro said the new Police Public Safety Officer model will boost frontline presence and “deliver real community outcomes”.

“We’re cutting duplication, boosting visibility, empowering our PPSO’s to tackle anti-social behaviour head-on,” she said.

The Chief Minister said the planned policing reform responds directly to community concerns about anti-social behaviour in and around public housing, bottle shops, shopping precincts, and on public transport.

She said it also addresses duplication across agencies, confusion around enforcement powers, and operational inefficiencies.

Under the new Police Public Safety Officer model:

> Transit Safety and Public Housing Safety will cease, and those officers and functions will transition to PPSOs, with police training and powers focused on addressing anti-social behaviour in public housing, on buses, at shopping centres, bottle shops, events and other public places.

> PPSOs will wear NT Police uniforms and operate under NT Police command targeting anti-social behaviour and high-visibility patrols.

> Up to 56 officers (34 Public Housing Safety Officers and 22 Transit Safety Officers) will be in NT Police uniform and deployed on the frontline.

Police Public Safety Officer model will allow police to better deploy frontline resources across key public spaces

The government said existing Auxiliaries, Transit and Public Housing Safety Officers who do not wish to transition to the new Police Public Safety Officer stream will be supported through a ‘grandfathering’ process, allowing them to continue in their current roles until retirement or redeployment.

The Chief Minister said the Police Public Safety Officer model will allow police to better deploy frontline resources across key public spaces.

“Police are doing an outstanding job, especially dealing with domestic and family violence, which now makes up around 60 per cent of their work.,” she said.

“This model gives them the backup they need while delivering stronger community safety outcomes.”

Originally published as Police Public Safety Officers: changes planned to target anti-social behaviour in public places