NT Police Association slams use of Alice Springs, Katherine, Tennant Creek and Palmerston watch houses for prison overflow

The NT Police Association has slammed the use of watch houses as prison overflow sites, saying officers shouldn’t bear the ‘burden’ of overcrowding in correctional facilities.

The NT Police Association has slammed the use of watch houses for prison overflow, with Territorians crammed into “basic” holding cells.

Chronic overcrowding in the Territory’s prisons has led to police watch houses in Alice Springs, Katherine, Tennant Creek and Palmerston all being used as overflow for corrections prisoners.

Despite the additional custody numbers, Deputy Commissioner Michael Murphy said no additional security measures were required in the “co-use” of the watch houses.

“Existing policies and protocols ensure the safety of both prisoners and staff during times of custodial management,” Mr Murphy said.

NT Police would not disclose the capacity rate of the watch houses “for operational security reasons”.

However, Chief Judge Elizabeth Morris told Darwin Local Court on Tuesday that arrested people were “banking up” in the watch houses, as the prisons were no longer taking in male prisoners.

NTPA acting President Owen Blackwell said this was the first time the association was aware of all four major Territory watch houses being used as “prisoner overflow at the same time”.

NTPA acting President Owen Blackwell said this was the first time the Northern Territory Police Association was aware of all four major Territory watch houses being used as “prisoner overflow at the same time”.

Mr Blackwell said police were feeling the pressure of the extra bodies in the cells, saying the measure should only be used as “a last resort”.

“This situation is far from ideal. It puts additional strain on watch house staff and restricts our members’ ability to detain and process alleged offenders,” Mr Blackwell said.

“The inability to house prisoners because of crippling over capacity should not become a burden for police.”

Mr Blackwell said police watch houses were simply not designed for long-term stays, saying they were “very basic in comparison to a prison”.

Alice Springs Correctional Centre general manager Bill Carroll said the inadequate long-term facilities in watch houses meant prisoners were being left without shower access for up to two days.

Alice Springs Correctional Centre general manager Bill Carroll.

Even though the prisoners were being held in police facilities, Mr Blackwell said responsibility still fell on Corrections officers to oversee the people on remand.

He said police, particularly those in smaller watch houses, would feel the strain of the extra prisoners, while also making space for Corrections staff.

“Watch houses are police facilities and come with added responsibilities when housing remand prisoners,” Mr Blackwell said.

He said the Alice Springs prison regularly used the watch house when it went over its capacity but the Territory-wide scale of the overcrowding was straining police resources.

The Department of Corrections spokesman said on Tuesday, January 10 there were 1234 prisoners in Darwin’s Holtze prison — 186 more people than the centre was designed to hold.

In December, the department admitted it was forcing prisoners to sleep on mattresses on the floor in overcrowded cells due to ongoing overcrowding at both Alice and Darwin centres.

During the same month, Alice Springs correctional staff told the United Workers Union that despite years of warnings, nothing had been done to address the heat or overcrowding risks.