Vince Kelly appointed to lead major NT Police review

A former boss of both the Territory and national police unions will lead a long-awaited review into police resourcing and culture.

A retired Territory police officer and former union president has been appointed to lead a long-awaited review into frontline resourcing and culture.

The NT government revealed on Thursday, alongside the appointment of a new Police Commissioner, the review would start next week with Vince Kelly as its lead.

A final report is to be released publicly by the end of March next year, while interim findings will be handed down on December 15.

Next to senior police and government officials Mr Kelly will probe staffing shortages, wellbeing, organisational culture and the police executive.

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Former NT Police Association president Vince Kelly has been appointed to lead a seven-month review into NT Police resourcing. Picture: Aaron Burton

Chief Minister Natasha Fyles said the government would endorse its recommendations, including those made during the review and after the final report was handed down.

“I want to make it clear to Territorians, but most importantly serving police officers of the Northern Territory, that we as a government will act on the recommendations and the report will be public,” she said.

“If there’s things that we can put in place immediately, we will do so.

“There will be some measures in here that are short term and there’ll be some longer term measures.

“We are backing our hardworking police and we will ensure that they have the resources and the support to perform their duties.”

Michael Murphy, who was appointed to the Police Commissioner role permanently on Thursday, said the review would be “important work”.

Michael Murphy has been appointed the new NT Police Commissioner. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

“It’s going to be an accountable process, honest process (and) we want every aspect explored – resourcing, demand, workflow, infrastructure, investment into the future,” he said.

“Mental health is a really big concern for law enforcement as well.

“We can’t keep doing the same thing and expecting different results, we’ve got to try new things … that are actually based on evidence from across the globe.”

Mr Kelly’s policing career began in 1987 and took him across the Territory, before he served as the NTPA president for more than a decade.

He was also the Police Federation of Australia president for seven years.

The review marks the first of its kind in more than a decade.

Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro said the government had been too slow to act on the police resourcing review. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro said the CLP welcomed the review but hit out at how long it had taken the government to act on the issue.

“The Opposition first called for this review in May last year and since then has in parliament put forward motions on no less than seven occasions calling for this urgent review, only to be shut down by Labor on every occasion,” she said.

“A review is only the first step – this government has the opportunity to work with us to act on the requests of police now including strengthening bail, mandatory sentencing for those who assault police and stronger laws to empower police to better deal with alcohol.”