‘We must do better’: Off-duty NT Correctional officer attacked while walking dog

An off-duty corrections officer has spoken out at the emotional toll of the job after being slashed in a ‘targeted attack’ while out for a walk with his dog.

An off-duty NT Correctional Officer was allegedly attacked in Palmerston on June 30, 2025. Picture: Supplied.

An off-duty NT Corrections officer has spoken out at the emotional toll of the job after being slashed in a “targeted” attack while walking his dog.

The 44-year-old man – originally from South Australia and now working in the Northern Territory – shared a post on social media detailing the incident.

He was allegedly punched in the face and slashed on the arm by someone who recognised him as a correctional officer.

About 1.15pm on June 30, it was alleged the man was assaulted by an unknown male offender while walking in bushland in Palmerston, near the Stuart Highway and Roystonea Ave intersection.

It marked the second assault in two weeks on an off-duty prison guard in the Territory.

“This wasn’t a random act,” he wrote on Facebook.

“It was targeted, simply because of the uniform I’ve worn for 15 years and the work I’ve done behind the wire.

“The physical wounds are healing. But the emotional toll – the fear, the hypervigilance, the feeling that nowhere is truly safe anymore – lingers long after the bleeding stops.”

The man said impacts on the families of prison workers often went unseen.

“My partner and kids have been my rock through all of this,” he said.

“But I see the fear in their eyes. I see how much it shakes them to watch someone they love come home injured, shaken, and changed by the job.

“They carry this with me – every shift, every incident, every call in the night.

“They cope with the emotional withdrawal, the exhaustion, the nightmares. And they do it quietly, because they’re not the ones in uniform.”

The officer called on the system to do more to support corrections staff and their families.

“We must do better,” he said.

“This attack didn’t just cut skin – it cut into a system that still struggles to protect its own.”

The attack victim said the correctional system struggled to protect its own. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

In a statement the Department of Corrections said it was aware of the incident and working to support the victim.

“Any incident of violence against our staff, whether on or off duty, is abhorrent and is taken extremely seriously,” a department spokesman said.

“The safety and wellbeing of our officers is paramount, and we will work closely with NT Police to understand the circumstances of this incident.

“Senior staff have been in contact with the officer and ongoing support will be made available to the officer as long as required.”

NT Police confirmed investigations were ongoing.

A spokeswoman said police received reports the offender had allegedly punched the man before striking his arm with an unknown weapon.

It said general duties officers and the dog squad had attended and cordoned off the area, but the offender had already fled the scene.

“There is information to suggest the offender may have known the victim, but this is unconfirmed,” she said.

Originally published as ‘We must do better’: Off-duty NT Correctional officer attacked while walking dog