Extra security guards deployed at Casuarina Square to enforce student ban

Casuarina Square management will not hesitate to ban students from its centre if they misbehave, after a 48-hour restriction welcomed by traders was lifted.

CCTV stills from fights at the Casuarina Square shopping centre. Picture: Supplied

Students from six Darwin high schools will be able to return to Casuarina Square from Wednesday afternoon - providing they behave.

Management at Casuarina Square imposed a 48-hour ban on students from six Top End schools after three days of rolling violence left shoppers and traders at the centre in shock.

More than 1000 students from Casuarina Senior College, Sanderson Middle School, Dripstone Middle School, Darwin Middle School, Darwin High School and Nightcliff Middle School were subject to the ban.

Police were called to the centre over three days from Wednesday last week after students were involved in fights and anti-social behaviour.

Centre manager Polly Lamond said bans could be reinstated if students mucked up in the future.

“We’re hopeful when the kids come back, they’ll do the right thing,” Ms Lamond said.

She said talks would now be organised with key stakeholders including Casuarina Square management, the Department of Education and other agencies to develop plans to prevent a repeat of the violence.

Ms Lamond said the two days of bans succeeded in keeping students away and they would be returned if bad behaviour resumed.

A spokeswoman for the Education Department said schools actively worked with all stakeholders to support community safety.

CCTV stills from fights at the Casuarina Square shopping centre. Picture: Supplied

“Anti-social behaviour involving students is not condoned by the Department of Education,” the spokeswoman said.

“Schools have a duty of care for school-aged students during school hours.

“The majority of these activities are happening outside of school hours, in saying this, the department acknowledges that schools play a critical role in educating students to exhibit good behaviour in their community.

“We want to highlight that this behaviour is not reflective of all young people in our community, and thank those who continue to show respect and are positive contributors in our community.

“We continue to work with Casuarina shopping centre businesses to implement the No School, No Service campaign.

“The campaign supports students attending school every day by limiting service in retail stores and businesses during school hours.

“Student engagement in school affects everyone and requires support from the whole community.

“Schools actively work with all their stakeholders to support community safety, as well as ensure children maximise their valuable schooling opportunities.”

Extra security guards deployed to enforce student ban

Additional security guards have been stationed at Casuarina Square to reinforce the shopping centre’s 48-hour ban on students from six Darwin schools.

Centre management confirmed 10 extra security guards had been called-in to ensure the ban is enforced and there will be additional dog patrols.

Students from Casuarina Senior College, Sanderson Middle School, Dripstone Middle School, Darwin Middle School, Darwin High School and Nightcliff Middle School have been banned after three days of rolling violence at the centre.

Security guards with dogs patrol Casuarina Square.

Centre management called police on consecutive days from Wednesday after up to 100 students, many in school uniforms, were reported “running amok” throughout the premises.

Centre manager Polly Lamond said the additional security was “precautionary”.

“We have stationed additional guards at the entries and there will be additional canine patrols,” Ms Lamond said.

The centre declined to reveal how many guards were deployed.

Casuarina Square traders said they overwhelmingly supported the school ban, with some stating they would be happy if the bans were extended.

OPSM acting general manager Dylan Holliday said it was “pretty hectic” most days.

Dylan Holliday is the acting store manager at OPSM.

“Most of the time they’re going to places that are more interesting to them, but it definitely affects the amount of people that do come in here,” Mr Holliday said.

“You just don’t really want to be around here when you’ve got that many younger people walking around and being really loud.

“The other day was a bit insane, the number of fights going on.

“A lot of them like to make a lot of noise and then you’ve got certain groups of them in that chaos just like to start fighting and then with that many kids around it’s easy for them to take advantage of the chaos and go steal.”

Eric Chen, who owns several Casuarina Square stores, has been a tenant for seven years and said poor behaviour by students was common.

Eric Chen manages four food stores at Casuarina

“Most kids are messing around, sometimes they’re stealing money, once I saw them in a car park threatening to steal a woman’s telephone, it’s terrible,” Mr Chen said.

“Sometimes maybe seven or eight kids coming inside affecting our customers, I just give them a coke to ask them to leave.

“It’s really bad for business and getting worse.

“Now Alice Springs has alcohol bans maybe it will get worse here in the future.”

Nextra manager Melissa Peacock said poor student behaviour was “consistently bad and not good for the centre”.

Melissa Peacock is the manager at Nextra.

“It ranges from yelling, fighting, stealing’s pretty bad here.

“We feel unsafe when they’re raving around and you don’t know what’s going to happen.

“I don’t know if they’re going to come into the store and threaten me or my staff so I definitely do feel unsafe at times, especially in the night times when you’re closing the shop and there’s usually one or two people on and anything can happen.

“If I’m not here there’s only two other staff on so in those times I do worry.”

Meanwhile, police have defended their response to student violence at the centre after this publication revealed they only responded to a call-out at Casuarina Sqaure last Wednesday, despite also being notified of students fighting and storming around the centre on the following two days.

Commander Danny Bacon said the Wednesday call-out was a response to a report of theft.

“Police are aware of a number of incidents in which youths have been engaging in anti-social behaviour,” Commander Bacon said.

“Some of these youths are linked to schools while other identified youths are not.

“An incident reported on Wednesday involving the theft of a woman’s handbag has resulted in an arrest of an adult male and the matter is before court.

“Further incidents involving school youth fighting have been reported in the week to police and have been handled by the centre’s security team.

“Incidents of this nature happen quickly and end quickly.

“There have been no serious injuries from these matters reported and responses at the time may not be required immediately, but all incidents are recorded and followed up.

“Police are aware that the Casuarina Square has imposed a 48-hour ban, commencing on Monday, for a number of schools.

“It is unfortunate but pleasing to see the centre take affirmative action for the behaviour of the youth within its complex.

“Police support this action and will work with other front line patrollers, specifically youth engagement officers within Territory Families in this space to assist the centre.

“Several other stakeholders including the parents’ of the youth involved have responsibility in ensuring the future prevention of such occurrences, and police will work with Department of Education to identify specific individuals involved to hold their behaviour to account.”

The Department of Education has not responded to a request for comment.

Originally published as Extra security guards deployed at Casuarina Square to enforce student ban