Internal probe into the release of NT Police watch-house footage
The NT Police Professional Standards Command is conducting internal inquiries into the release of NT Police watch-house footage. Read why.
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The Northern Territory Police Professional Standards Command is conducting internal inquiries into the unauthorised release of NT Police watch-house footage.
The leaked footage is of one of the Territory’s most senior lawyers, Darwin silk Jon Tippett KC at the police watch-house on November 15, 2024, after allegedly drink driving into a police car.
He was taken to the Palmerston watch-house following the incident where he was breathalysed, allegedly returning a blood alcohol reading more than double the legal limit.
The leaked video shows Mr Tippett at the watch-house about 10.20pm that night.
In the footage Mr Tippett asks the officer whether it is possible to change his 0.11 reading: “Can we get it under 0.1,” he says.
The officer responds: “No we can’t, we’ve got a result.”
NT Police Commander James J O’Brien said the footage was not authorised by NT Police for release and police were not currently aware of who provided the footage
“The Professional Standards Command is continuing to conduct internal inquiries into the release of NT Police watch-house footage from a breath analysis late last year,” Commander O’Brien said.
“The footage relates to charges that are currently before the courts.”
Mr Tippett, 71, is former president of both the NT Law Society and Criminal Lawyers Association NT and has appeared in some of the Territory’s most notorious cases.
Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro, who is also the Police Minister, said she would not be commenting while internal inquiries were underway.
Members of the Territory legal fraternity have contacted the NT News expressing both concern and anger over the leaking of the police CCTV footage.
“This demands a proper investigation,” a Darwin lawyer told the NT News.
“If this has been done by a police officer it damages the reputation of all police.”
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