Operation Ludlow Mark 2 announced for Alice Springs as NT Police prepare for summer
The Northern Territory’s top cop has made a pledge to a Territory town for the summer ahead when crime traditionally spikes. Find out more.
Operation Ludlow Mark 2 – a sequel to a major police operation coming to this Alice Springs this summer – is “building on the success” of its predecessor, the Territory’s newest police commissioner says.
The summer policing operation is during when police see a “traditional spike in activity,” new NT Police Commissioner Martin Dole says.
“Can I just assure you we’re ready and we’re prepared for that,” he said.
“I think it’s important to bring to the attention of the Northern Territory community that the Northern Territory is a safer place today than it was 12 months ago.
“That’s because of the dedicated work of the men and women of the Northern Territory Police Force who continue to turn up every day and serve the community.”
The operation is building of previous Operation Ludlow in Alice Springs, which NT Police Southern Commander James Gray-Spence launched a month early November last year.
The start date was brought forward last year after a spate of anti-social behaviour in Alice Springs, where there were home invasions, aggravated robberies, and a deliberate attempt to ram a cop car – all within a 48hr period.
The first Operation Ludlow finished in February this year, with police making 301 arrests in Alice Springs during the operation.
Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro said the community “really resonated” with Operation Ludlow last year.
“So what we are doing is strengthening Operation Ludlow with Operation Ludlow two for 2025 to make sure that we build on what we learned and the data from last summer to make sure that this summer we are even more prepared than ever before,” she said.
During last year’s operation, eight-week-old baby Antonia Siguenza had her skull fractured during a horrific home invasion in Larapinta in December 2024.
Two teens behind the horrific home invasion were arrested hours after the crime, while little Antonia Siguenza had to be flown to Adelaide for treatment.
In August this year, one of the teens involved was sentenced to two years behind bars, while the teen who fractured the young girl’s skull was given a two-year suspended sentence in September – to be served in Alice Springs.
One month after the horrific home invasion, in January, 10 cops from South Australia were sent to Alice Springs at the request of then-Police Commissioner Michael Murphy.
Ms Finocchiaro said an additional 14 constables and fugitive task force members will be coming to Alice Springs as part of the Operation Ludlow sequel.
“Our commitment to people in this region to make sure we have that very strong presence here, to not only do that proactive policing, but to be able to respond very quickly if the need arises,” she said on Thursday.
Neither Mr Dole or Ms Finocchiaro gave a date for when Operation Ludlow two will start. However a spokesperson for Southern Command indicated an announcement about when the second operation will begin is imminent.
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