Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Soons in Alice Springs on Monday, with youth tearing around
the CBD in stolen cars. Police say that three stolen
cars were driven recklessly through the night, swerving at police,
with the occupants throwing rocks at them. Now after reviewing CCTV,
officers told the ABC earlier in the week that it's
amazing that no one was killed or injured. The cars
(00:22):
have since been recovered, with efforts underway to find those offenders,
and the reports are reminiscent of issues that we saw
earlier in the year with youth driving dangerously at police
and also on the streets of Catherine And it seems
as well as though there was some further vehicles stolen
last night, is what's being reported again across the territory.
(00:45):
So we're just trying to get some further detail on that.
I'll hopefully have that for you in just a moment,
but joining us in the studio right now, the Northern
Territory Police Association President Nathan Finn. Good morning to you, Finny.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Good morning, Katie, Good morning to your listeners.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Now, mate, have you spoken to those offices in Alice
Springs following that incident and how they're going I.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Haven't actually spoken to that the individual officers involved in that.
Obviously they are on night shift that night and believe
they were coming back last night on night shift as well.
But from all the information I've received, as they weren't
actually hurt. Obviously a couple of vehicles were damaged in
the process as well from the rocks being thrown. I'd
just like to point out that this behavior is we
can't tolerate this sort of behavior, especially towards our police,
(01:25):
and unfortunately this is going to end in a tragic situation,
but especially for a young person involved, and then the
community is going to be uproad about what we're doing
as police. I can tell you, Katie that our members
the level of dedication, perseverance and measured restraint and putting
themselves in the risk of trying to apprehend these vehicles
the other night in Alice Springs was truly remarkable. They
(01:48):
really had to hold themselves back. They could have been
seriously hurt, injured, or killed themselves in this situation. It's
very dangerous.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
Like how dangerous did it get? Finny we're talking? I mean,
we are talking about rocks being thrown at police cars here.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Yeah, police cars damage to police cars from these rocks
being thrown and also driving these stolen vehicles towards police cars.
We've asked this time and time again. They're using weapons
as a vehicle to assault the police and it's going
to end obviously in someone losing their life or seriously injured.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
Well, and it seems last night as well. So we've
just got some further word that police tried to intercept
a stolen use in Alice Springs overnight seen dangerously driving
with youth inside. That was in east Side Police telling
the ABC it's one of three cars stolen overnight. Another
youth are spiked by police and then dumped with an
SUV still yet to be recovered. So two nights in
(02:43):
a row.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Two nights in a row, and I can guarantee you
to be the same cohort from the previous night. Again,
what are we doing about these use on the street.
What are we doing to actually work with the families
and work with these use in these programs. I can
guarantee you that the same cohort will be involved. I
know that members of the Viper Property Crime Unit TRAL
through CCTV to identify two offenders from the previous night,
(03:06):
So a nineteen year old and a fifteen year old
were arrested yesterday. They were still in custody as of
last evening last night. I'm not quite sure, but I'm
assuming they would hopefully go before the court today. And
Alice Springs in relation to these to the instant the
other night.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
I mean, is enough being done from the Police Association's
perspective though, to keep kids off the streets before they're
getting to the point of committing these kinds of crimes.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
We do not. We see these kids walking the street
night end, night out. Our members are frustrated. They can't
just keep being a taxi service and dropping these kids home.
More needs to be done in that preventive space with
territory families or another organization. There's plenty of government non
government organizations in Alice Springs as well that should be
looking after these kids dropping him home. If they haven't
got a place to stay or a safe place to stay,
(03:49):
there should be some accommodation provided for them.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
Because from all accounts it does seem as though the
police have made a few changes in Central Australia, They've
got a bit happening in Alice Springs to try to
deal with these issues of crime that you know that
were at the beginning of the year. It was absolutely
shocking and it did seem to have calmed down to
some degree. But hearing these stories now, you just worry
about what it's going to mean over the summer period.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
Yeah, we're all worried. Our members are worried in Alice
Springs as well. But I'm reassured with the appointment of
Commander James gray Spence yesterday was confirmed by the Commission
as a promotion into the role of Commander Alice Springs
and Southern Region. I believe he's got the perseverance, the
intelligence and also the evidence based policing models to prevent
(04:32):
another Alice Springs year. Obviously some are going bad. I
can only hope that his team rallies behind him. He is,
from all reports making some positive change there in Alice
Springs and he obviously we congratulate him on his promotion.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
So a new commander in ALIS.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
Definitely so, and that's a good thing for Alice Springs.
I've worked closely with him. I spoke to him last night.
He provided some correspondence in relation to what's been happening
down there and the stuff that he's trying to do
to prevent this from happening again. He's working in that
space outside of place with the other government organizations and
other non government organizations to actually prevent this before it happens.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
Well, I really hope that everybody can work together to
try and really stop this before it kicks off. Like
I said, I know the last two nights have not
been good in Alice Springs, but the last thing anybody
wants to see is what we experienced earlier in the
year and what the people of Alice Springs experienced earlier
in the year.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
If we've seen consequences from this behavior and consequences for
the action of these youths, we wouldn't see this behavior continually,
night after night after night. We need to take a
serious look and remove these kids from the situation they
are in and they believe that this is just a game,
and unfortunately it's a game that's going to end in
their losing their lives themselves or losing the lives of
(05:42):
a police or seriously engine a police officer.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Now, last time we spoke, it was straight after the
cabinet reshuffle. You had concerns about the new Police minister
Brent Potter's lack of experience. Have you met with him
since ye.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
Had a meeting with him last Wednesday formally, first sat down.
That went well. It was very constructive, very positive, had
some good ideas in relation to what he could do immediately.
We provided obviously ideas of what we could achieve immediately
and obviously what needs to be progressed out. He committed
to me that the resource allocation review that's underway, he'll
support those recommendations in full, depending on obviously what comes
(06:18):
out of it, which is a good sign. But he
also had some positive stuff. I know. On the weekend
he experienced policing at its finest. He went out with
the City Safe Cruise on Friday and Saturday night cruise
from a ten pm sorry to five am in the
morning and seeing the highlights and the low lights of
what the community provides and the excellent work that our
(06:40):
police members are doing with limited resources.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
Do you reckon That's something that is really important that
the Police Minister and even other ministers do go out
and actually experience so they can see firsthand what Northern
Territory police are dealing with on a day to day basis.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Definitely, he had discussion with him and I actually went
out with him Monday night as well in Palmiston to
the offer come through. I went out with him and
had a good discussion with himself and obviously the Superintendent
met Peter Malley at Palmerston on Monday night. We discussed
the issues. He spoke to a number of our police officers,
had to listen to the issues that they were facing,
and he discovered things that were struggling that could change,
(07:16):
possibly like us waiting at three hours at a hospital
to get someone seen that's in our custody or something
similar to that where we can actually get the resources
back on the road. So we identify these issues, but
he wouldn't identify these issues if he didn't actually go
out and do it. So we applaud him for going
out and actually speaking to the members and finding it
what actually we're facing.
Speaker 1 (07:34):
And they seem like very much common sense things like
when you're talking about police resources then being tied up
at the hospital waiting there for three hours with somebody
that's in custody. You do wonder if there's different ways
that we could be doing things. Now. I'm not saying
that you know that we need to hire security to
do that kind of stuff. But if we've got security
patrolling the streets or going around the streets in the CBD,
I'm sure that we can use different models to try
(07:56):
to assist the police.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
He's seen firsthand the responsibility is that police have in
relation to domestic violence. He's seen domestic violence instant hand.
He's seen a couple of members arrested of the community.
He's seen the processing of people through the watchhouse. He's
seen a youth being charged in custody presenting himself to
the judge. So he had understanding of policing. He was
(08:19):
interested in what we do and how we go about it,
and obviously how he can assist us. Yeah, Rochi's positive.
I haven't seen that for a long long time from
a member of this government, So I'm very optimistic that
he's actually listen to our members and listen to what
the NTPA have to say to support our members on
the front line.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
Well, we might try and getting back on the show
and find out a little bit more about how it
all went and you know where too from here.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
But I do want to.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
Ask you as well, Finny. On Monday, the Chief Minister
joined us on the show and confirm that work is
underway a head of changes to alcohol legislation following on
from the tabling of the recent review at the last
parliamentary sittings. Are you going to be meeting with the
government on this and are you hoping that they're going
to be some changes that the Police Association want to
see included in those legislative amendments or changes.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
Definitely, I hope we're at the table for consultation in
relation to what they're trying to introduce. I did speak
to the Ministry as well around the name obviously the
name and address of identifying people drinking in the public place,
and he's seen as a an urgent fix as well,
a necessary fix for us for allow us to do
our job and provide us with the information. So there
(09:27):
are some positive stuff and I really would like to
be sitting at that table to make those legislative changes
that we need and to empower our police to do
the job that they can do.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
Aside from the identification process and being able to actually
check that idea, is there anything else that the Police
Association does want to sort of push or try to
see included.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
We want to see treatment of these people they're chronic alcoholics.
They are known to the government, they are known to
police officers. We deal with the same cohort day in
day out, Katie. It's very frustrating for our members when
they're not getting the treatment that they deserve. We're just
picking up the pieces at the end of the day,
and it's left as a police responsibility where it shouldn't
be police responsibility. There should be a health problem to
(10:06):
start with, and we're seeing this constantly with nothing done.
These people left in these open spaces, living in our
community parks, providing a mess to our community and providing
frustration to no level with our community people. We need
that to be fixed. That's not a police issue.
Speaker 1 (10:22):
Well, Northern Territory Police Association President Nathan finn I appreciate
your time this morning. Thanks very much for joining us.
Speaker 2 (10:29):
Thank you, Katie, and also yeah to all those members.
It's been a tough few days out there in the
police world with accidents and everything else, and we're thinking
of those members that have to respond on especially our
fire is as well to these accidents and we look
forward to obviously supporting you guys the best possibly can
to do your job out there.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
Absolutely, absolutely Nathan Finn, thanks so much for your time.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
Thanks Katie, have a good day.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
Thank you.
Soons in Alice Springs on Monday, with youth tearing around
the CBD in stolen cars. Police say that three stolen
cars were driven recklessly through the night, swerving at police,
with the occupants throwing rocks at them. Now after reviewing CCTV,
officers told the ABC earlier in the week that it's
amazing that no one was killed or injured. The cars
(00:22):
have since been recovered, with efforts underway to find those offenders,
and the reports are reminiscent of issues that we saw
earlier in the year with youth driving dangerously at police
and also on the streets of Catherine And it seems
as well as though there was some further vehicles stolen
last night, is what's being reported again across the territory.
(00:45):
So we're just trying to get some further detail on that.
I'll hopefully have that for you in just a moment,
but joining us in the studio right now, the Northern
Territory Police Association President Nathan Finn. Good morning to you, Finny.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Good morning, Katie, Good morning to your listeners.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Now, mate, have you spoken to those offices in Alice
Springs following that incident and how they're going I.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Haven't actually spoken to that the individual officers involved in that.
Obviously they are on night shift that night and believe
they were coming back last night on night shift as well.
But from all the information I've received, as they weren't
actually hurt. Obviously a couple of vehicles were damaged in
the process as well from the rocks being thrown. I'd
just like to point out that this behavior is we
can't tolerate this sort of behavior, especially towards our police,
(01:25):
and unfortunately this is going to end in a tragic situation,
but especially for a young person involved, and then the
community is going to be uproad about what we're doing
as police. I can tell you, Katie that our members
the level of dedication, perseverance and measured restraint and putting
themselves in the risk of trying to apprehend these vehicles
the other night in Alice Springs was truly remarkable. They
(01:48):
really had to hold themselves back. They could have been
seriously hurt, injured, or killed themselves in this situation. It's
very dangerous.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
Like how dangerous did it get? Finny we're talking? I mean,
we are talking about rocks being thrown at police cars here.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Yeah, police cars damage to police cars from these rocks
being thrown and also driving these stolen vehicles towards police cars.
We've asked this time and time again. They're using weapons
as a vehicle to assault the police and it's going
to end obviously in someone losing their life or seriously injured.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
Well, and it seems last night as well. So we've
just got some further word that police tried to intercept
a stolen use in Alice Springs overnight seen dangerously driving
with youth inside. That was in east Side Police telling
the ABC it's one of three cars stolen overnight. Another
youth are spiked by police and then dumped with an
SUV still yet to be recovered. So two nights in
(02:43):
a row.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Two nights in a row, and I can guarantee you
to be the same cohort from the previous night. Again,
what are we doing about these use on the street.
What are we doing to actually work with the families
and work with these use in these programs. I can
guarantee you that the same cohort will be involved. I
know that members of the Viper Property Crime Unit TRAL
through CCTV to identify two offenders from the previous night,
(03:06):
So a nineteen year old and a fifteen year old
were arrested yesterday. They were still in custody as of
last evening last night. I'm not quite sure, but I'm
assuming they would hopefully go before the court today. And
Alice Springs in relation to these to the instant the
other night.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
I mean, is enough being done from the Police Association's
perspective though, to keep kids off the streets before they're
getting to the point of committing these kinds of crimes.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
We do not. We see these kids walking the street
night end, night out. Our members are frustrated. They can't
just keep being a taxi service and dropping these kids home.
More needs to be done in that preventive space with
territory families or another organization. There's plenty of government non
government organizations in Alice Springs as well that should be
looking after these kids dropping him home. If they haven't
got a place to stay or a safe place to stay,
(03:49):
there should be some accommodation provided for them.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
Because from all accounts it does seem as though the
police have made a few changes in Central Australia, They've
got a bit happening in Alice Springs to try to
deal with these issues of crime that you know that
were at the beginning of the year. It was absolutely
shocking and it did seem to have calmed down to
some degree. But hearing these stories now, you just worry
about what it's going to mean over the summer period.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
Yeah, we're all worried. Our members are worried in Alice
Springs as well. But I'm reassured with the appointment of
Commander James gray Spence yesterday was confirmed by the Commission
as a promotion into the role of Commander Alice Springs
and Southern Region. I believe he's got the perseverance, the
intelligence and also the evidence based policing models to prevent
(04:32):
another Alice Springs year. Obviously some are going bad. I
can only hope that his team rallies behind him. He is,
from all reports making some positive change there in Alice
Springs and he obviously we congratulate him on his promotion.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
So a new commander in ALIS.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
Definitely so, and that's a good thing for Alice Springs.
I've worked closely with him. I spoke to him last night.
He provided some correspondence in relation to what's been happening
down there and the stuff that he's trying to do
to prevent this from happening again. He's working in that
space outside of place with the other government organizations and
other non government organizations to actually prevent this before it happens.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
Well, I really hope that everybody can work together to
try and really stop this before it kicks off. Like
I said, I know the last two nights have not
been good in Alice Springs, but the last thing anybody
wants to see is what we experienced earlier in the
year and what the people of Alice Springs experienced earlier
in the year.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
If we've seen consequences from this behavior and consequences for
the action of these youths, we wouldn't see this behavior continually,
night after night after night. We need to take a
serious look and remove these kids from the situation they
are in and they believe that this is just a game,
and unfortunately it's a game that's going to end in
their losing their lives themselves or losing the lives of
(05:42):
a police or seriously engine a police officer.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Now, last time we spoke, it was straight after the
cabinet reshuffle. You had concerns about the new Police minister
Brent Potter's lack of experience. Have you met with him
since ye.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
Had a meeting with him last Wednesday formally, first sat down.
That went well. It was very constructive, very positive, had
some good ideas in relation to what he could do immediately.
We provided obviously ideas of what we could achieve immediately
and obviously what needs to be progressed out. He committed
to me that the resource allocation review that's underway, he'll
support those recommendations in full, depending on obviously what comes
(06:18):
out of it, which is a good sign. But he
also had some positive stuff. I know. On the weekend
he experienced policing at its finest. He went out with
the City Safe Cruise on Friday and Saturday night cruise
from a ten pm sorry to five am in the
morning and seeing the highlights and the low lights of
what the community provides and the excellent work that our
(06:40):
police members are doing with limited resources.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
Do you reckon That's something that is really important that
the Police Minister and even other ministers do go out
and actually experience so they can see firsthand what Northern
Territory police are dealing with on a day to day basis.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Definitely, he had discussion with him and I actually went
out with him Monday night as well in Palmiston to
the offer come through. I went out with him and
had a good discussion with himself and obviously the Superintendent
met Peter Malley at Palmerston on Monday night. We discussed
the issues. He spoke to a number of our police officers,
had to listen to the issues that they were facing,
and he discovered things that were struggling that could change,
(07:16):
possibly like us waiting at three hours at a hospital
to get someone seen that's in our custody or something
similar to that where we can actually get the resources
back on the road. So we identify these issues, but
he wouldn't identify these issues if he didn't actually go
out and do it. So we applaud him for going
out and actually speaking to the members and finding it
what actually we're facing.
Speaker 1 (07:34):
And they seem like very much common sense things like
when you're talking about police resources then being tied up
at the hospital waiting there for three hours with somebody
that's in custody. You do wonder if there's different ways
that we could be doing things. Now. I'm not saying
that you know that we need to hire security to
do that kind of stuff. But if we've got security
patrolling the streets or going around the streets in the CBD,
I'm sure that we can use different models to try
(07:56):
to assist the police.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
He's seen firsthand the responsibility is that police have in
relation to domestic violence. He's seen domestic violence instant hand.
He's seen a couple of members arrested of the community.
He's seen the processing of people through the watchhouse. He's
seen a youth being charged in custody presenting himself to
the judge. So he had understanding of policing. He was
(08:19):
interested in what we do and how we go about it,
and obviously how he can assist us. Yeah, Rochi's positive.
I haven't seen that for a long long time from
a member of this government, So I'm very optimistic that
he's actually listen to our members and listen to what
the NTPA have to say to support our members on
the front line.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
Well, we might try and getting back on the show
and find out a little bit more about how it
all went and you know where too from here.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
But I do want to.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
Ask you as well, Finny. On Monday, the Chief Minister
joined us on the show and confirm that work is
underway a head of changes to alcohol legislation following on
from the tabling of the recent review at the last
parliamentary sittings. Are you going to be meeting with the
government on this and are you hoping that they're going
to be some changes that the Police Association want to
see included in those legislative amendments or changes.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
Definitely, I hope we're at the table for consultation in
relation to what they're trying to introduce. I did speak
to the Ministry as well around the name obviously the
name and address of identifying people drinking in the public place,
and he's seen as a an urgent fix as well,
a necessary fix for us for allow us to do
our job and provide us with the information. So there
(09:27):
are some positive stuff and I really would like to
be sitting at that table to make those legislative changes
that we need and to empower our police to do
the job that they can do.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
Aside from the identification process and being able to actually
check that idea, is there anything else that the Police
Association does want to sort of push or try to
see included.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
We want to see treatment of these people they're chronic alcoholics.
They are known to the government, they are known to
police officers. We deal with the same cohort day in
day out, Katie. It's very frustrating for our members when
they're not getting the treatment that they deserve. We're just
picking up the pieces at the end of the day,
and it's left as a police responsibility where it shouldn't
be police responsibility. There should be a health problem to
(10:06):
start with, and we're seeing this constantly with nothing done.
These people left in these open spaces, living in our
community parks, providing a mess to our community and providing
frustration to no level with our community people. We need
that to be fixed. That's not a police issue.
Speaker 1 (10:22):
Well, Northern Territory Police Association President Nathan finn I appreciate
your time this morning. Thanks very much for joining us.
Speaker 2 (10:29):
Thank you, Katie, and also yeah to all those members.
It's been a tough few days out there in the
police world with accidents and everything else, and we're thinking
of those members that have to respond on especially our
fire is as well to these accidents and we look
forward to obviously supporting you guys the best possibly can
to do your job out there.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
Absolutely, absolutely Nathan Finn, thanks so much for your time.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
Thanks Katie, have a good day.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
Thank you.
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