Police Commissioner redeploys officers to Alice Springs in wake of alleged violent home invasion

NT Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro and Police Commissioner Michael Murphy have spoken in Alice Springs. Here’s their plan to help a community reeling from a string of alleged horrific crimes.

Territory police will not enact a curfew and have not called for assistance from their federal counterparts in the immediate aftermath of an alleged violent home invasion in Alice Springs left a baby girl with a fractured skull.

Northern Territory Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro and Police Commissioner Michael Murphy landed in Alice Springs on Thursday morning, announcing a plan to redeploy officers from Darwin to help boost police presence in Alice Springs suburbs.

While they said they may turn to the Commonwealth for support to tackle “unacceptable” levels of offending, no calls had been made.

Wednesday’s alleged attack on a mum and her baby was the latest in a string of disturbing crimes in Central Australia targeting suburban homes.

In the past week, former NT Administrator Ted Egan allegedly woke to two teens burgling his home, a 29-year-old woman was allegedly raped while sleeping, and an alleged child abduction occurred.

Police Commissioner Michael Murphy. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Commissioner Murphy said police would stand up two additional measures targeted at high-risk repeat offenders, and urban patrolling.

A new Fugitive Taskforce will involve about a dozen police who will target people with outstanding warrants.

Operation Ludlow – an operation launched last month to boost high visibility policing over the Alice Springs summer period – will also be repurposed.

The number of additional officers to join Operation Ludlow’s existing 20 was yet to be confirmed.

“There will be extra police coming, I just don’t know the number,” Commissioner Murphy said.

“They’ll come from specialist areas in Darwin – that’ll be up to the command group to identify so it doesn’t disrupt frontline operations across the Territory.”

Police said additional resources would begin deploying immediately, with a strong focus on the outer suburbs of the town due to an increase of serious incidents in residential areas.

Commissioner Murphy said he felt confident NT Police could manage to provide the boots on the ground needed to protect Alice Springs, without calling in the ADF, AFP or SA Police.

“If the need is to bring in additional resources over the next seven days, I’ll consider that and reach out to my fellow commissioners,” he said.

Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Mrs Finocchiaro said “every option is on the table”, and she would hold urgent meetings with police, lead agencies, the community sector and Aboriginal leaders in the coming days.

“My thoughts are with the family and victims of yesterday’s (alleged) attack,” she said.

“I’ve been emphatic to the Police Commissioner and his police following the events overnight that he has our full support to do whatever it takes.

“We welcome news from federal members of parliament this morning, who have reached out and said that whatever it takes, they will provide support.

“We need to make sure that if we have an ask of the federal government, it’s going to deliver for people on the ground.”

Mrs Finocchiaro said the CLP government would announce further measures to reduce crime in Alice Springs.

“The recent tragic events highlight the dire consequences of years of policy failure.

“People have a right to be safe in their homes, the community deserves to be safe.

“This is why we urgently passed our reducing crime laws in the first sittings of parliament, and need our new bail laws to start as soon as possible.

“Alice Springs deserves a comprehensive and consistent response to community safety, not a glossy brochure touted as a ‘plan’ that has historically failed to deliver results.”

Originally published as Police Commissioner redeploys officers to Alice Springs in wake of alleged violent home invasion