How Katherine-born Jamie Chalker became the Northern Territory Police Commissioner

Jamie Chalker, now under intense scrutiny, is the first, true Territorian to be appointed Police Commissioner. How did the Katherine-born copper go from Groote Eylandt to the NT’s top police officer. Find out here.

JAMIE Chalker’s rise to become the first Territory born Police Commissioner is under scrutiny following damning feedback on his tenure from his officers.

The Northern Territory Police Association released its preliminary survey findings, in which nearly 80 per cent of officers said they had lost faith in the top brass.

The resounding ‘no confidence’ vote from the police union will be the centre of discussions at its upcoming conference.

Mr Chalker will talk to regional delegates about their overstretched, overworked and under resourced officers.

Political allies have backed him in the top role despite the controversy surrounding Mr Chalker.

Deputy Chief Minister and former police minister Nicole Manison described Mr Chalker as a man of integrity, a hard worker and deeply passionate about policing and the welfare of the Territory.

“He is somebody who really cares and goes to work every day to make a positive difference,” she said.

She said the Katherine-born man’s rise up the ranks meant he was the first Territory trained officer to become Police Commissioner.

“To go through the college, to have served out bush, to have served right across the Northern Territory as a police officer, and then to be given the honour of becoming the police commissioner,” Ms Manison said.

“I know he does not take that lightly.

“He is somebody who has dedicated most of his working life to being a police officer who passionately believes in the Northern Territory police force and their duty to serve and protect Territorians every day.”

The young cop’s first posting was in Groote Eylandt, going on to work in Alice Springs, Hermannsburg, Papunya and Kalkaringi.

Five years into his policing career Mr Chalker was awarded a Royal Human Society Bronze Medal for Bravery in 1999 for entering flood waters and rescuing a man who had been swept down river in Wattie Creek, near Daguragu.

As his career grew, Mr Chalker would later be awarded five more medals, and two Northern Territory Police Commissioner’s commendations.

Mr Chalker was appointed assistant commissioner in 2012, but left four years later to become Department of Local Government, Housing and Community Development chief executive officer.

He was given the housing boss job, despite a lack of experience in government department housing matters.

During his time the Housing Department was repeatedly criticised for procurement process failures and breaches of policy in Alice Springs town camps.

Mr Chalker returned to the police in 2019, spearheaded into the top role after the shock resignation of Reece Kershaw who left to become Australian Federal Police Commissioner.

Perhaps foreshadowing his conflicts with the rank and file, the news of his appointment blindsided the police union after being leaked days before the official announcement.

Mr Chalker’s rise to the top job coincided with what would become the start of the biggest controversy of his tenure to date.

Mr Chalker was formally announced as the new Commissioner on October 31 2019. Nine days later a 19-year-old boy was shot by a NT Police Constable in a central desert town of about 800 people.

The shooting of Kumanjayi Walker at Yuendumu, investigation into Constable Zachary Rolfe, murder trial and subsequent not-guilty finding would become an ongoing controversy for NT Police executives.

An ICAC investigation into the Rolfe investigation was announced in March, while a coronial inquest into the fatal shooting of Kumanjayi Walker will begin in September.

In his first week in office Mr Chalker was there when then-Chief Minister Michael Gunner promised “consequences will flow” to mourners in Yuendumu in the wake of the shooting.

This tumultuous beginning was only one controversy during his ongoing role in the top job.

Rolfe

During the pandemic Mr Chalker became a permanent feature at the daily Covid briefings, standing side-by-side with Mr Gunner.

NT Police were called on to maintain the safety orders, including monitoring borders and the Covid quarantine sites.

Mr Chalker had already warned the government the force was stretched and overworked in July 2020, while the NTPA said police were at its limits to reshuffle to meet the Covid demands.

By September 2020 cops in remote communities were reporting 70-hour work weeks, with no hope of relief in the under resourced stations.

Attrition rates have been a constant thorn in Mr Chalkers side, with turnover anticipated to reach 11 per cent this year.

In a single month in 2021, NT Police lost 22 officers to resignations, retirements and transfers.

The stationing of probationary constables in remote regions was identified as a major strain on the attrition rate.

The Territory Relief Pool was a policy legacy from his predecessor Mr Kershaw, which sent officers to remote stations to allow the smaller teams to manage fatigue.

The consistent police reports of low morale, overworking and under resourced officers have real world impacts.

In the first six months of this year the Territory lost four members of the police community to suicide.

The latest suicide of a 26-year-old Aboriginal Community Police Officer occurred when there was no dedicated welfare officer for the Alice Springs station.

Northern Territory Police Association president Paul McCue said the young officer’s suicide occurred when there was no full-time face-to-face supports in the Alice Springs Station.

In April, 44-year-old Michael ‘Micky D’ Deutrom took his own life, while retired Senior Sergeant Garry Smith died in May.

During his memorial speech for Mr Deutrom, Mr Chalker pledged to reform mental health services for his officers.

His comments were soon met with fury from current and former officers, who said critical recommendations were not being implemented as quickly as they should.

An independent review into the NTPFES Support and Wellbeing service was completed earlier this year, with both the current and former police ministers saying work was under way to implement the recommendations.

NT WorkSafe confirmed 90 per cent of mental health claims from the emergency services were from police, with 27 compensation claims.

The police chief also clashed with fireys with calls for his resignation in June.

The protest calls were sparked afterMr Chalker allegedly described firefighters as “greedy”.

NTPFES did not respond to the NT News, but a spokesman told the ABC that Mr Chalker did not make the comments.

United Workers Union NT claimed Mr Chalker had made “out-of-place” and “unnecessary” comments to a firefighter recruit squad in April.

“You advised recruits to choose the right path and ‘not be greedy like the others’,” a letter from the union said.

Ms Manison acknowledged Mr Chalker’s decisions were not always popular.

“Having to lead through those very difficult times is a tough job,” she said.

“And you’re not going to be popular with everyone when you have to make those difficult decisions.

“Absolutely his heart is in the right place of wanting to support the members and support the community.”

NTPFES and Mr Chalker were contacted for comment.

Originally published as How Katherine-born Jamie Chalker became the Northern Territory Police Commissioner