New police Aboriginal Liason squad to help strengthen relationships between police and locals

A NEW Aboriginal Liaison Officers Squad will soon be deployed across the NT in a bid to help strengthen relationships between police and Indigenous communities

Aboriginal Liaison Officer Squad 01.

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A NEW Aboriginal Liaison Officers Squad will soon be deployed across the NT in a bid to help strengthen relationships between police and Indigenous communities to help tackle issues including youth crime and alcohol abuse.

The Aboriginal Liaison Officers (ALO) will form part of the Northern Territory Police’s first ALO Squad 01.

Eight ALOs this week kicked off a three-week course in Alice Springs, assisted by three existing ALOs.

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NT Police, Fire and Emergency Services – Alice Springs and Southern says recruiting is under way for more ALOs for the Alice Springs, Barkly district and remote areas in the coming months.

Current participants hail from Lajamanu, Kintore, Yarralin, Gapuwiyak, Papunya, Santa Teresa, Elliott and Alice Springs.

“Aboriginal Liaison Officers are an integral part of the Northern Territory Police Force and will work as a conduit between the community and police, and will assist police with current and evolving issues in remote and urban communities,” they wrote on Facebook. “While seven of the newly appointed ALOs will return to their respective communities, four Aboriginal Liaison Officers will remain in Alice Springs and will work closely with our frontline police officers and community members.

“This is the first Aboriginal Liaison Officer Squad in the Northern Territory. However, recruitment to ALO positions in the Barkly, Katherine and Arnhem Land districts is planned for the coming months.”

Subjects covered throughout the three weeks include first aid, driver and 4WD training, training with NT Fire and Rescue Services, NT Emergency Services and Bushfires NT as well as community engagement.

The recruitment is part of the NT government’s $20m investment for an extra 131 police and support staff announced in July.

This week, Country Liberal Party representatives in Central Australia penned an open letter to Chief Minister Michael Gunner, imploring him to address crime in Alice Springs and the wider region. The letter, from Braitling MLA Joshua Burgoyne and Namatjira MLA Bill Yan, highlights the fear of residents, the damage residents and businesses have experienced from vandals, and the impact on the region’s reputation for tourism and business.

“In the lead-up to the 2020 election, and recently in the media, you have stated that your government has policies to address crime and anti-social behaviour in our region,” the letter reads. “You have stated that there will be harsher penalties for repeat offenders and that youth community work programs will be implemented to tackle young offenders. You and your government have been at the helm for over four years and the people of Central Australia are still waiting for action on these issues while residents and businesses suffer the consequences of criminal behaviour.”

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Mr Gunner said police in Alice were “doing a tough job incredibly well”.

“We’ve put more resources into tackling crime after the CLP’s cuts, and we’ve got three new police squads graduating in the coming months, with 45 more officers heading to Alice,” Mr Gunner said.

He said there were “more police on the beat than ever before”.

“That number is only going to increase through the employment of 131 additional police and support staff — making our force as strong as possible.”

Police, Fire and Emergency Services Minister Nicole Manison said the extra support would help with the continued tackling of the ongoing issues surrounding youth crime and alcohol abuse.