Safety concerns continue three years on from $11 million police station

Nightcliff Police Station was heralded as a “24-hour police station to service the inner-northern suburbs” — three years on it remains anything but, leaving shop owners fed up. Read the details.

The newly opened Nightcliff Police Station on Progress Drive. Picture: Glenn Campbell

‘To serve and protect’ is canvased on the facade of the $11 million Nightcliff Police Station.

But Nightcliff Village shop owners opposite the grand station say it’s actually the opposite.

Nightcliff Police Station opened to great fanfare in 2021, with then local member Natasha Fyles promising a “24-hour police station to service the inner-northern suburbs”.

The station was moved from its original location within Nightcliff Village to its current spot on Progress Drive, with local shop owners saying the move hasn’t improved safety or reduced anti-social behaviour.

Local shop owner Kathy Zaf said she was assaulted by a random stranger in Nightcliff Village on December 7.

Ms Zaf said she was assaulted in the Nightcliff Village, just opposite the police station. Picture: Darcy Fitzgerald

Ms Zaf detailed the disturbing assault which happened in broad daylight and left her with a cut lip.

She said the police station provided no assistance.

“I walked over to the police station, which I thought was open because the roller door was up,” Ms Zaf said.

“But as I got closer, I could see that it was really dark in there and all the lights were off.”

An NT Police spokesperson said the alleged offender “remains outstanding”.

Ms Zaf said the shopping centre was safer with the old police station. Picture: Darcy Fitzgerald

In another incident, she said a man attacked one of her staff with a cut-throat razor.

“He picked up my cut-throat with the blade in it, and threw it at one of my staff,” Ms Zaf said.

“I was on the phone to police, and they were taking too long to answer, so I actually walked down there.

“The lady said to me, ‘they cannot do anything about it’.

The new Nightcliff Police Station is just meters away from where Ms Zaf said she was assaulted. Picture: Darcy Fitzgerald

“When the police station was [in Nightcliff Village], we actually had a lot of police presence.

“Since [the new] police station has opened we haven’t had that at all.”

Local supermarket manager Ben Feick agreed the new station had had the opposite effect.

Ben Feick thinks anti-social behaviour has become worse in the area. Photograph: Che Chorley

“The only thing it’s reduced is the amount of police we actually see in the area now,” he said.

“Safety hasn’t changed — if anything I reckon it’s got worse.

Mr Feick also said increased police visibility would help reduce anti-social behaviour and improve public safety.

“There used to be a foot patrol that went around — they really made it a safer place,” Mr Feick said.

Local member Kat McNamara’s electorate office is in Nightcliff Village.

She agreed the building hadn’t made the area safer, but suggested alternative strategies to address anti-social behaviour.

Greens Member for Nightcliff Kat McNamara said the government should be targeting crime at its root cause. Picture: Fia Walsh.

“Properly funding and supporting services that combat [domestic violence and addiction] problems are essential if we are going to see any change,” Mx McNamara said.

“It is only by addressing these drivers of crime that we will make our community safer in the long term.”

A spokesperson for NT Police said the primary occupier of the station was the Territory Safety Division, in addition to “non-operational” areas within the facility, as well as front counter service “during normal business hours”.

“The Territory Safety Division continues to conduct high-visibility policing,” the spokesperson said.