SA Police called to support transition of cops back to Darwin

Interstate police will descend on Alice Springs to help maintain a heavy police presence on the streets.

Reinforcements from the South Australia Police force will descend on Alice Springs to maintain a heavy police presence on the streets, while the Chief Minister admits no one was consulted on the curfew banning all young people from Alice Springs’ CBD.

Speaking from Alice Springs on Friday, Eva Lawler said the emergency curfew introduced last Wednesday was a captain’s call.

“No one was consulted, literally,” she said.

“It was a decision that was made by myself, with my Cabinet colleagues and the Commissioner of Police.”

Following violent riots in the town on Tuesday, March 26, Ms Lawler said they “had to make some decisive action”.

She said the government had conversations with the NT Children’s Commissioner after the curfew was implemented, and that she “would have preferred” to speak with young people before making her decision.

“It probably wasn’t the way I would have normally worked, but it had to be done because it was literally at a crisis point.”

‘High visibility’ police patrols at Alice Springs bottleshops and licensed venues have ramped up in recent weeks. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Meanwhile, the Northern Territory Police Commissioner has reached out to his South Australia counterpart and asked for help to support the transition of officers back to the Top End.

Acting Commissioner Martin Dole said there had been “numerous people” from the APY lands – a region in remote north west SA – stranded in Alice Springs due to recent weather events.

“That’s increased the population, so the South Australian police offered to help out and boost our resources so we can return some of our officers to Darwin and continue the heightened police presence in Alice Springs,” he said.

Commissioner Dole said he had no concerns about the suitability of interstate police working in an environment that may pose unique local challenges.

“We’ve got general duties officers coming in to work hand-in-hand with our Northern Territory general duties officers,” he said.

The SA cops, who will be sworn in as special constables in the NT, will contribute to general policing and Operation Grimmel, targeting high-risk offenders and conducting high visibility police patrols in the Alice Springs CBD and at licensed premises.

A swearing-in date was not specified to media.

Ms Lawler said NT Police had initiated the call for reinforcements, and could not confirm the cost of hosting police from across the border.

She said demands on police resources were why the government had committed $200m to fund an extra 200 NT police officers.

The Territory is already the most policed jurisdiction in the country, with the most expensive force.