Wadeye police station assessed for infrastructure, security faults after union concerns

Wadeye police station will be assessed for security and infrastructure faults after the police union expressed concerns. Find out how many officers have been deployed to bolster ranks.

Wadeye’s police force will be bolstered and its compound assessed for faults following continued unrest in the community and calls for additional security from the union.

NT Police Acting Deputy Commissioner Martin Dole said he was taking the NTPA’s call for action “seriously”.

“We’ve got officials on the ground out at Wadeye at the moment doing security assessments on the infrastructure at the Wadeye police station,” Deputy Commissioner Dole said.

“Over the last week we’ve deployed at least five members at a minimum from the Territory Safety Division and I’m aware that five to six members from TRG went out (and) are still on the ground at the moment.

“As the need requires, we’ll continue to deploy resources to support our troops on the ground.”

He said the station usually had 14 members on staff – including a senior sergeant, two sergeants, and 11 constables – and a crew of Aboriginal Liaison Officers.

He said five police cars had been damaged in recent incidents but no cops or community members had been injured.

Damage to a police car in Wadeye, December 2023. Picture: Supplied

Wadeye police call for greater security as compound breached

The police compound in Wadeye has been broken into seven times in a 12-month period, prompting the union to call for urgent upgrades to security.

Amid community unrest in the region, the Northern Territory Police Association has called on the NT government for funding to “ensure the safety of our members”.

“The NT government must commit appropriate funding to urgent security upgrades at the Wadeye police compound, after a police officer’s home, which is inside the compound, was brazenly entered and ransacked at the weekend,” NTPA president Nathan Finn said.

The Wadeye police compound was broken into in December 2023, one of seven times in the last 12 months. Picture: Supplied

“This is just one example of an alarming escalation in hostilities towards police and adds to months of community unrest which has seen police cars rammed, police officers and their vehicles pelted with rocks and other objects, multiple assaults on police including with weapons, and breaches of the police compound.”

On January 3 police confirmed nine people had been arrested, including three youth and three adults in relation to the ramming of police vehicles and the station.

A woman was also arrested for assaulting an officer.

The next day they said police would be attending meetings in regards to the ongoing community unrest.

NT Police Association president Nathan Finn wants government to chip in funding to help police officers stay safe in Wadeye. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Mr Finn said the station was experiencing staff shortages, with just eight of the 14 positions currently filled, forcing the Territory Response Group to step in and provide support.

He said break-ins to the police compound in December were just the tip of the iceberg of officers’ and the union’s concerns.

“These breaches not only jeopardise the safety of our members and their families, but also undermines the ability for our members to perform their core business of serving and protecting the community,” he said.

In response to questions by the NT news, Minister for Police Brent Potter said the current unrest in Wadeye between two families was “unacceptable”.

“Our police officers on the ground are responding accordingly, including an additional six Territory Response Group officers who arrived in the community yesterday,” Mr Potter said.

“As a result, both the Wadeye stationed officers and the Territory Response Group de-escalated and dispersed the situation, with the focus now turning to the identified core group of offenders.

“There is a plan of action for their arrests and ensuring they face our judicial system.”

Mr Potter said it was important to address the situation in a “culturally appropriate manner” to bolster relationships with traditional owners and Aboriginal organisations.

“The safety and wellbeing of our front line officers and community members is my upmost priority, I plan to visit Wadeye later this week to engage with our front line officers and the wider community.

“The Wadeye Police compound is a purpose built facility and we will continue to work together with police and the NTPA to ensure police and their families’ safety is maintained while they serve and protect the Northern Territory.”

Originally published as Wadeye police station assessed for infrastructure, security faults after union concerns