NT Police unlimited sick leave under scrutiny due to pressures on front lines

Senior NT police officers have claimed unlimited sick leave entitlements are being abused, leaving the front lines understaffed.

Assistant Commissioner Michael White told Ms Armitage said it was a challenge to maintain rosters for general duties due to sick leave entitlements. Picture: Jason Walls

Allegations of cops abusing unlimited sick leave entitlements could come under scrutiny following the signing of a new police pay deal.

Senior members of the NT Police executive and operational team leaders repeatedly raised the issue of unlimited sick leave entitlements as a strain on the frontline during a coronial inquiry last week.

During the inquest into the death of Ngeygo Ragurrk, Coroner Elisabeth Armitage heard damning details about the strains on general duties police, which was partially attributed to the high numbers of officers on leave.

Assistant Commissioner Michael White told Ms Armitage said it was a challenge to maintain rosters for general duties due to sick leave entitlements.

“We’ve already talked about the sick leave that we’re facing, it has a significant impact on our ability to provide front line services, in Darwin particularly,” Mr White said.

Acting Police Commissioner Michael Murphy said there were between 250 to 350 officers on leave every week in the Territory. Picture: Floss Adams.

During last month’s estimates Acting Police Commissioner Michael Murphy said there were between 250 to 350 officers on leave every week in the Territory, with 80 to 100 officers on long-term sick leave.

“That could be psychological trauma or physical trauma from exposure to some of the traumatic events they have seen while being a police officer,” Mr Murphy told the parliamentary committee.

Mr Murphy said 18 officers had been off duty for between three to six months, another 18 were sick for up to a year, while 39 officers had been on leave for more than a year.

On Monday Commander James O’Brien said the unlimited sick leave provision was causing shortages for police.

Mr O’Brien said he “100 per cent” agreed with Dr Dwyer’s summary that the system was being “abused by a small but significant number of police”.

“So that, ironically, a system designed to look after police when they are genuinely sick and need support is causing problems for other officers when it is being abused,” Dr Dwyer said.

Mr O’Brien said he was not aware of the issue being discussed at the executive level, but foreshadowed it may come up in the next round of enterprise bargaining.

“I would like to see a system come in place that really does assist police who are in need of assistance, and for as long as possible,” he said.

Commander James O'Brien said the unlimited sick leave provision was causing shortages for police.

“But a rules and regulations package around having sick leave, that will prohibit that small number of people from basically putting pressure on the rest of the work force by not coming to work.”

Joint Emergency Services Communication Centre dispatch Sergeant Wolfgang Langeneck said the sick leave entitlements had flow-on effects from the moment a triple-0 call was picked up, all the way to police arriving at the scene.

He said his already understaffed triple-0 team struggled to meet the required six-person roster under the national minimum standards, while high rates of sick leave among general duties officers contributed to their difficulties sending crews to urgent jobs.

Joint Emergency Services Communication Centre Dispatch Sergeant Wolfgang Langeneck shows NT coroner Elisabeth Armitage how the triple-0 calls are taken by JESCC and dispatched to police.

He said in areas like Darwin, Palmerston and Casuarina where there was only two crews, losing people to sick leave left critical gaps in the police’s response

“We have a huge workload, (and) two police cars, – if you’re lucky,” he said.

“When the sick leave, for some reason goes through the roof, you may – you may end up with one supervisor, one crew.”

Sergeant Langeneck said while there were officers who were genuinely sick, there was abuse of the system.

“I want to make friends with the Police Association, but I think the unlimited sick leave is a problem,” he said.

Northern Territory Police Association president Nathan Finn conceded there were a “very small number of members to abuse these personal leave provisions”, but said he would oppose any changes to the sick leave scheme.

“The vast majority of the members use the provisions of personal leave correctly in line with the conditions of their employment,” Mr Finn said.

Days after stating there were a “very small” cohort of cops abusing their leave entitlement, Mr Finn released a statement saying there was no evidence to back the claim and called for the police executives to retract their comments to the coroner.

“We’re not naive to think that we don’t have individuals that may take advantage of the system from time to time, but to allege there is widespread, malicious, abuse of an industrial entitlement – without any proof – is insulting,” he said

“On average, NT police officers are absent 18.6 days per annum.

“This is consistent with other jurisdictions, including Queensland Police which average 18.8 days per annum – and has capped personal leave.

“You can’t try and erode members’ entitlements because the system is broken.”

Northern Territory Police Association president Nathan Finn conceded there were a “very small number of members to abuse these personal leave provisions”. Picture: Supplied

He said the greater issues was not how long officers were off-duty, but the reasons for them needing time off.

“The fact that the number of members that are absent from the workplace indicates a system that needs repair,” Mr Finn said.

“(We have) record crime statistics with limited resources to respond to these incidents, causing substantial burn out and fatigue among our members.

“Compounded by growing number of mental health related illnesses among our members as they are exposed to the traumas of policing on a daily basis.”

Mr Finn said due to the limited resources for police, the unlimited sick leave was “problematic” when it meant working officers were bearing a greater burden.

“The fact that the Northern Territory Police Force does not have a safe minimum staffing numbers or a fatigue management plan sees some members working in excess of 20, 30 or 40 hours overtime a week to ensure their colleagues aren’t let down which is not sustainable.”

Despite only signing off on the latest three-year pay deal in June, due to a protracted stand-off the NT Government and the union are expected to restart the next round of negotiations in 18 months.

Originally published as NT Police unlimited sick leave under scrutiny due to pressures on front lines