NT cops seek union vote on police chief’s rule

Police officers in Alice Springs want their union to hold a ballot to determine whether NT cops still have confidence in their commissioner and one of his deputies.

NT Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker speaks to the media at the Peter Macaulay Centre in Darwin. Picture: Glenn Campbell

Police officers in Alice Springs want their union to hold a ballot to determine whether Northern Territory cops still have confidence in their commissioner and one of his deputies.

At a southern branch meeting on Wednesday, about 30 police officers unanimously voted to direct the Northern Territory Police Association to hold a ­Territory-wide ballot to determine whether members retained confidence in Commissioner Jamie Chalker and Deputy Commissioner Murray Smalpage.

The motion is also on the agenda for the upcoming branch meeting in Palmerston, near ­Darwin.

The Australian understands some police members are agitating for a possible “no-confidence” vote because of concerns about the “integrity” of senior NT police over Constable Zachary Rolfe’s rushed murder charge.

The officer shot Kumanjayi Walker three times after the Indigenous teenager stabbed him with scissors during an arrest at Yuendumu in November 2019.

In March, Constable Rolfe was found not guilty of murdering Walker at the remote outback community.

Days later, NTPA president Paul McCue attacked senior officers, Chief Minister Michael Gunner and former anti-corruption commissioner Ken Fleming over their actions in the days ­following Walker’s death.

Mr Chalker and Mr Gunner have repeatedly denied any ­political interference or any ­involvement in the criminal ­investigation.

In September 2021, the NTPA called on Mr Chalker to immediately stand down Mr Smalpage for bringing the NT Police Force into disrepute after he accidentally live-streamed himself making controversial comments to social media.

In the inadvertent video, Mr Smalpage appears to suggest “murder” would be the most appropriate collective noun for a group of police officers.

Mr Chalker immediately ruled out disciplinary action against Mr Smalpage, saying if the “people in the world were much kinder to one another, we would be in a far better place”.

He issued a statement in which he said after reviewing the footage and speaking with Mr Smalpage, the video and his subsequent apology “speak for themselves and as such no investi­gation is required”.

“I note within the video there is no reference that can be taken to be statements directed to a particular individual or that contained any defamatory or demeaning comments attributed to a person or beliefs, choices or appearance,” Mr Chalker said.

“With the information before me at the moment, it is clear this was accidental, that the ­comments were not intended to cause offence and he is deeply apolo­getic for the choice of ­language.

“I’m not of the belief that there remains anything ambiguous as it relates to the actions of Deputy Commissioner Smalpage and the comments he made.”

At the time, Mr McCue said other officers had been the subject of disciplinary action in similar circumstances and “those standards must apply across all ranks”.

Mr Chalker rejected that assertion, saying rank and file ­officers “have not been subjected to discipline in circumstances similar to this”, which he had “confirmed” with Professional Standards Command.

Earlier this month a public petition had attracted thousands of names calling for Mr Chalker’s resignation over a number of matters but the petition has since been removed.

Comment has been sought from the NTPA and NT Police.