More regular recruiting required with NT Police staffing under strain amid COVID-19, says union

THE NT Police Force is going to be stretched to its limits for the next six to 12 months as the force reshuffles staff to meet border control needs, NT Police Association president Paul McCue says.

• NT Police gets $20m to bolster force amid COVID-19 pressures, as Commissioner Jamie Chalker warns staff are already stretched

THE NT Police Force is going to be stretched to its limits for the next six to 12 months as the force reshuffles staff to meet border control needs, NT Police Association president Paul McCue says.

From Friday, the NT will lose 72 Australian Federal Police officers, with NT cops not on the frontline now required to step up.

The Darwin watch house was closed on July 16 in an ­effort to free up staff to help with COVID-19 operations.

Mr McCue said other areas such as forensics and youth ­diversion would be affected by the changes required to meet COVID-19 operation needs.

“So we’ve got those holes in the rosters we want to make sure are filled, and that can only be done by additional resources,” he said.

NT Police Association president Paul McCue says the police force is going to be stretched to its limits for the next six to 12 months as it reshuffles staff to meet border control needs. Photo: Emma Murray

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Mr McCue said if the government had kept up with the attrition rate and maintained a constant cycle of recruits, the force would not be in the situation it was facing.

“We need to make sure we’re listening to the people on the ground, the ones that are out there working on the frontline and telling us, we can’t fill two vans in a shift,” he said.

“We saw a situation not long ago where we had 12 months without a single graduating constable squad. That is unacceptable. And it’s the reason we’re seeing an ­urgent recruitment now, because we didn’t keep pace when we should have.”

NT Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker said arrangements to fill the loss of 72 AFP cops was not a sustainable situation in the long term.

Leave and rostering changes had been made to ensure enough cops were on the ground to meet needs, he said.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner has announced $20 million extra to hire 131 cops and staff to bolster capacity amid the...

Posted by The NT News on Sunday, 26 July 2020

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A spokesman for Chief Minister Michael Gunner said the extra cops would help NT Police cope with any changes made in the future in regards to staffing of AFP and Defence personnel on the borders.

“The Chief Minister appreciates the support of the AFP and the ADF so far and will keep working closely with the Prime Minister,” the spokesman said.