Labor promises expanded powers for public housing safety officers, including OC spray, handcuffs

Territory Labor has pledged to expand the powers of public housing patrollers if elected, allowing them to arrest and handcuff, use pepper spray, and ban visitors.

Public Housing Safety Officers’ powers will be expanded to carry OC spray, make arrests, under a Territory Labor election pledge. Picture: Justin Kennedy

Territory Labor has pledged to expand the powers of public housing patrollers if elected, allowing them to arrest and handcuff, use pepper spray, and ban visitors.

The new powers would target disruptive visitors, Labor said, and would be designed to protect tenants and their neighbours from anti-social behaviour and harm.

Chief Minister Eva Lawler. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Public Housing Safety Officers’ use of body worn cameras would continue to ensure oversight of the new powers, which include the ability to temporarily arrest a person, including using handcuffs, to transport them to police.

The reforms would also include a streamlining of the officers’ existing powers, to more easily seize and tip out alcohol, and ban unwelcome visitors from a public housing address.

Eight new officers would be hired to boost capacity, with the estimated cost of covering – including training and equipment – expected to be $1.6m.

Public Housing Safety Officer body worn cameras will continue to be used for better oversight of the expanded powers. Picture: Justin Kennedy

Public Housing Safety Officers would be trained in how to best use the new powers by the NT Police Force – similar to the training for Transit Safety Officers who were granted powers to carry OC spray last year.

Police Minister Brent Potter said the police training would ensure “they have the skills to use these expanded powers safely and effectively.”

Chief Minister Eva Lawler said the election promise was “a commonsense approach to reducing bad behaviour in and around public housing right across the Territory”.

“Most tenants do the right thing but there are increasing numbers of people visiting public housing and causing damage and disruption – and that’s what we want to stamp out,” she said.

Currently there are 28 Public Housing Safety Officers in the NT, including a 16 plus a team leader in Darwin, six plus a team leader in Alice Springs, and three each in Tennant Creek and Katherine.

They work a range of hours between 8am and 3am, based on demand and risk assessments.

A Territory Families spokeswoman said the officers worked with the department to respond to and investigate public housing complaints, as well as in collaboration with police and other services such as Larrakia Nation to identify and respond to areas of risk.