Cops push for no confidence vote for Chalker

Rank and file officers have turned on the Territory’s top cop with a no-confidence motion circulating through union branches.

RANK and file officers have turned on the Territory’s top cop with a no-confidence motion circulating through union branches.

The NT News understands three police union branches have passed motions calling for a Territory wide no-confidence motion.

Among the union branches to pass the motion is the Northern Territory Police Specialist Services unit, which includes officers from the Territory Response Group, Air Wing, Water Police, Dog unit and Intelligence unit.

The motion calls for the Northern Territory Police Association to hold a ballot to determine if Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker and Deputy Commissioner Murray Smalpage still have the support of their frontline officers.

A report by The Australian estimated that 130 officers have unanimously voted in favor of holding the vote.

Rank and file police officers are considering a no-confidence motion in NT Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker. Picture: Glenn Campbell

Northern Territory Police Association President Paul McCue said any branch motions would be referred to the Annual Conference in August.

“Such motions at meetings are part of a normal industrial process and members have the right to vote on motions during industrial meetings. This is not uncommon,” Mr McCue said.

“The motions will be referred to our Annual Conference which will hear and debate such motions to determine support or otherwise.”

Mr McCue said he could not comment further to allow the process to continue.

The ballot comes a month after Constable Zachary Rolfe was found not guilty of the murder of 19-year-old Kumanjayi Walker.

In the wake of the verdict there was political outcry including calls for Mr Chalker’s resignation.

In March Mr McCue was asked if the Police Commissioner still had the support of the rank and file police members.

“Obviously the following this trial outcome our intention is to go and talk to as many as we can,” he said.

“We’ll be holding meetings throughout the Northern Territory, having a chat with them seeing how they’re feeling.

“Obviously it’s very raw at the moment.”

He did not go as far as to call for Mr Chalker’s resignation, saying “there’s a lot of emotion at the moment”.

“To be frank we’ve had a lot of negative feedback … he didn’t really address anything in relation to the trial itself or Constable Rolfe,” he said.

In late March Independant Commissioner Against Corruption Michael Riches launched an investigation into the decision to charge Mr Rolfe with murder.

The investigation was announced after the notes of several police detectives working on the case revealed they had concerns about the “abnormal” haste with which the murder charge was pursued.

NT Police have been contacted for comment.

Originally published as Cops push for no confidence vote for Chalker