NT Police to host fortnightly Coffee with a Cop sessions across the Territory

Darwin residents have sat down with the Territory’s top police boss and shared ‘honest views’ of crime in their community. Here’s how the fortnightly sessions will work.

A free coffee and a quick chat is a small gesture but one that could transform Territorians’ sense of safety and trust in those who protect them.

NT Police has relaunched its ‘Coffee with a Cop’ program with Acting Commissioner Michael Murphy at Darwin’s first session among several other officers in blue.

The initiative started in 2017 but was put on hold when the Covid-19 pandemic hit.

It kicked off again on Friday in the Karama Shopping Plaza and various locations across Alice Springs, Katherine, Tennant Creek, Yulara, Jabiru and Nhulunbuy.

Acting Commissioner Michael Murphy said the hour-long drop-in sessions would happen at least every fortnight, if not more frequently.

Dozens of shoppers stopped to chat to Territory police at the Karama ‘Coffee with a Cop’ session on Friday, including one wearing an NT crime rally shirt. Picture: Annabel Bowles

“This is what the community expects – it’s about being available, it’s about being here to listen to concerns,” Acting Commissioner Murphy said.

“I’m having some really interesting conversations, some confronting (and) some really positive, saying what a great job we do.”

Acting Commissioner Murphy said the drop-in session at Karama showed him there was more police work to do in the Darwin suburb, which has long been a known hotspot for crime and anti-social behaviour.

“Crime really concerns people; unlawful entries, property crime, hooning, anti-social behaviour, public drinking and being able to see police in the area,” he said.

“We’ll do targeted patrolling to address some of the issues raised by community.”

Police Acting Commissioner Michael Murphy and Karama MLA Ngaree Ah Kit were both at the 'Coffee with a Cop' initiative. Picture: Annabel Bowles

Darwin city councillor Brian O’Gallagher said the sessions would give officers “a much more honest view” of issues.

“Listening to my residents, they are very concerned about increasing and escalating crime and anti-social behaviour in this area,” he said.

“It’s been destroying the neighbourhoods and it’s probably gotten significantly worse over the last four years.”

Mr O’Gallagher said some Karama residents living opposite the shopping centre “don’t feel safe enough” to shop there.

“They look out their windows and they see anti-social behaviour all through the day and certainly at night-time,” he said.

“That is unacceptable.

The ‘Coffee with a Cop’ sessions will be held each fortnight in Darwin, Alice Springs, Katherine and several other Territory regional and remote towns. Picture: Annabel Bowles

“So this initiative is fantastic – the community feels much safer when they see police walk around and that in itself is a deterrent.”

Acting Commissioner Murphy said he believed the program could help quell some of the community’s concerns over crime.

“It’s about getting out message out about what we’re doing as well, sometimes that’s not entirely clear,” he said.

“That reassures the public and allays some of the fears that they see on social media.”

Karama MLA Ngaree Ah Kit was also at the Coffee with a Cop session in Darwin.