Northern Territory Police Association president Nathan Finn warns of OC spray trial concerns’

The NT Police union has warned that the flaws in the OC spray rollout will endanger both the public and frontline officers, after two per cent of the canisters were sold to prohibited persons.

The NT Police union has warned that the flaws in the OC spray rollout will endanger both the public and frontline officers, after two per cent of the canisters were sold to prohibited persons.

Despite Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro celebrating the rollout of the chemical weapon this week, the Northern Territory Police Association has said the first few days of the trial have revealed significant concerns in the OC spray program.

Ms Finocchiaro said 11 prohibited people were among the 550 Territorians who bought OC spray in the four days since it was legalised on Monday, meaning two per cent of purchases were unlawful.

Of the 11 three remain outstanding and one has been served with a notice to appear.

The trial allows Australian residents over 18 to buy canisters, if they sign a statutory declaration confirming they have no criminal convictions or relevant court orders.

Yet, the NT News understands that among the 11 illegal purchases was a man who may have has associates linked to a motorcycle gang.

Grant Hatcher of Fishing and Outdoor World Darwin and Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro as Territorians have been given an update on the first 72 hours of the government's controversial OC spray rollout. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

On Thursday, Northern Territory Police Association president Nathan Finn said it was disappointing that their long-held concerns “have now come to reality”.

“The rollout of the trial revealed real concerns for the NTPA and its members, specifically how the trial was planned to be rolled out and how it was proposed to be managed along with the inappropriate access of prohibited persons and tracking of the purchases in the public,” Mr Finn said.

Mr Finn said the fact that 11 prohibited persons had bought OC spray in less than four days was a concern “not only to the NTPA and our members, but also to the community”.

However NT Police Acting Assistant Commissioner John Atkin he was satisfied the system was effective, stating: “people who aren’t supposed to get OC spray are being identified quickly and police are up quickly and we’re getting quick resolutions.”

Mr Atkin said eight of the 11 illegal purchases had been “resolved” by Wednesday afternoon, with police chasing up the remaining prohibited people.

Mr Finn said chasing up these unlawful purchases not only created more work for frontline officers, but it also required them to seize the chemical weapons off the — now potentially armed — prohibited persons.

Mr Finn said after being briefed on the OC spray rollout on August 7, he sent a letter 11 days later to both the NT Police Acting Commissioner and the Chief Minister highlighting the NTPA’s concerns.

Northern Territory Police Association President Nathan Finn. Picture: Zizi Averill

He said dealers selling the spray had no way to confirm any of the statements made by people buying the weapon were correct, and police could not review the applications at the time of purchase.

Mr Finn said these purchases were also not recorded on any formal database for Police to access in real time to confirm the legalities of possession or unlawful possession.

Mr Finn said the purchases were not even recorded in the NT Police’s new Case Management System, SerPro.

“Ultimately the NTPA are concerned of use against our members in the field, along with managing a further risk in which potentially being exposed to when responding to incidents,” he said.

NT OC spray, pepper spray generic. Picture: Stephanie Hanlon

While there was a limit to how much OC spray a person can hold — two 45ml canisters — Mr Finn said it was concerning there was no limit on the amount of spray that could be purchased.

“OC spray canisters are unable to be tracked and are not recorded with serial numbers for identification of ownership of the OC spray, or if located in the public or in possession of an unauthorised person,” he said.

Mr Finn said there was also no training on the dangers of using the spray in certain circumstances — such as on a driver — or decontamination process for those exposed to OC spray, with the only warning printed in English on the canister.

Hundreds of Top End residents gathered to protest the past 12 months of 'tough on crime' reforms, including the rollout of pepper spray, under the CLP Government in a demonstration outside the NT Parliament, on Tuesday September 2. Picture: Zizi Averill

He said there was also no information to purchasers about the “consequences of unauthorised use, disposal of OC spray canisters either used or not used”.

Mr Finn said there was also no reporting mechanisms for the use of OC spray by a member of the public.