Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now, as I mentioned, the Northern Territory government says that
it is enacting emergency measures across the Northern Territory's prisons
and police watch houses to address extraordinary risks posed by
record overcrowding. Now. In a statement over the weekend, the
Department of Corrections said that prisoner numbers across the Northern
Territory had reached two thousand, three hundred and seventy on Friday,
(00:24):
following a rapid and continuing surge of inmates. Now joining
me in the studio, well, he's the president of the
Northern Territory Police Association, not Corrections, but no doubt having
an impact.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Good morning to your Finny, Good morning Katy, Good morning
to your listeners.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
Always good to catch up with you now, Finny, in
terms of these huge prisoner numbers, we know that we've
had huge issues with our correctional facilities for a number
of years in terms of really not having room for
all of the inmates that we've got. I mean we've
reached emergency situation now.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Again, Katie. I can speak from experience here obviously managing
the Palmeston Watchhouse and the Palmeston Police Station for a
number of years as well, this is not a new issue.
This is highlighted the government some five years ago. We're
at capacity at that point in time. They've been trying
to deal with that and kind of put band aid
solutions in place to deal with this, but they haven't
actually had a plan to go forward about increasing the
number of beds available for the correctional facility. And now
(01:19):
we're seeing an overflow under police watchouse which is causing
our staff much undue stress and we're waiting for this
volatile situation to become out of control at a point
where the prison has just had enough. It's unfortunate that
we're placing this position, but again we're in this because
there was no plan to go forward.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
Do you worry that I mean, if it reaches a
situation where it is a volatile situation. I mean even
in recent weeks we've had a whistleblower contact us about
a prison guard being assaulted, kicked in the head and
knocked unconscious. Do you worry that it is going to
then become a situation where the police are going to
be called in to the correctional facilities to assist.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
And we've seen this before, Katie, We've dealt with the
situations that at the whole facility a number of years
ago now where it actually turned into rite and turn
obviously quite violent out there, and the situation involved in
the couple of burnings of buildings, et cetera out there
where police were forced to respond to that. But unfortunately,
at the moment, the correction staffing are understaffed. They're struggling
to deal with the demand and the numbers they've got
in their facilities and that's flowing into a police watchhouses
(02:17):
and causing our staff much grief and we can't use
facilities which they're designed for for our purposes.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
How busy are the watch houses right now?
Speaker 2 (02:27):
They are flat out the staff dealing with a high
stress situation of people coming and going. They're causing delays
for people coming into the watchhouse, in processing our prisoners,
processing their prisoners in and out. It's causing delays and
they're causing a large amount of stress for our staff.
I have been speaking the Commission of Police over the
weekend in respect to this. He's been in consultation with
Commissioner Valley over the weekend. We have seen some things
(02:48):
happen occur over the weekend which has reduced our numbers.
As an example, we had eighty four in corrections prisoners
in Parmesan Watchhouse alone on Saturday. That's reduced to about
seventy three I think on Sunday, and then reduced again
to sixty four this morning. But sixty four on top
of our normal numbers at the Palmeston watch out. It's
a high stra of situations.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
So where have they gone? You said, those numbers have reduced?
Where have they gone? We?
Speaker 2 (03:10):
All I can say is that again that's the thing
for corrections. But they've made available beds to move them
out of the watchest. They've made a commitment to us
and the commitment to the police to make sure we
can actually use how watch houses as they're designed to
do for police well.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
Because I mean some of the discussion now is that
it's the legislative changes that have come into place that
are seeing those prisoner numbers increase. I mean, is that
too soon?
Speaker 2 (03:32):
Really, that's far too soon, Caadian. We have proposed with
the government, we have met with the government. We're going
to see a spike in prison numbers due the legislation changes.
But at least they're doing something to actually curb this
behavior and peractually potter to terrence to the community and
make sure that the community is protected. It's a bit
early to say that these legislation changes. Some of them
haven't come into effect, Katy, and some of them won't
come into effect till January next year as well. But
(03:54):
we've seen this highlighted over in time and time again.
There's been no plan for corrections for the last five
or six years, and that's why we're in this situation
we are in today.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
Finny. I know that people are going to be listening
this morning and they're going to be thinking to themselves.
My biggest concern is that if someone breaks the law
on the street, if somebody assaults someone else, if somebody
sexually assaults somebody, are they still going to be arrested?
Are they still going to be taken to a watchhouse?
Speaker 2 (04:21):
I can guarantee you, Katie, that they'll be arrested by
the Northern Churchy Police, they'll be placed before the court system,
and that the decision will be made at the court system.
Then it's the obligation of Corrections under the Corrections Act
to make sure that they accept the prisoners. Where they
put them is up to them, and that's the decision
for these guys.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
Do you have any concerns that you know that the
courts might look at this current situation and go, oh
goodness me, you know, there's nowhere for this person to go.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Definitely, Katie, that's a decision for the judge. That's a
decision for the people that are actually sentencing these prisoners
to go. Hang on a minute, there's no room map
at Holts. We're just going to put more pressure on
the situation. Again, that's a decision for them, and I
shouldn't I can't say what they should be doing. Yeah,
But decision for the judge at the time about the
serious of the offenses and to make sure that they're
adequately providing a deerterrent to the community and make sure
(05:07):
these people are held responsible their crimes are committing.
Speaker 1 (05:09):
But you're confident the police are still going to be
able to do their jobs and that you know, people
who have broken the law are going to have.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
To face that guaranteed, Katie, and the police will continue
to be the police and no matter how much pressures
on the correctional system, they'll be still arrested in placed
before the courts as as soon as possible and the
investigations will still continue.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
Finny. Last week we heard that two female paramedics were
assaulted while trying to assist a young person in Nakara.
Now it's alleged this fourteen year old boy in decently
assaulted paramedics before spitting in the ambulance last Wednesday night.
The teen is further accused of damaging a medical vehicle
and electronic equipment in a police car. He's also spat
(05:49):
towards multiple police officers allegedly and has since been charged
with a number of offenses. Now, this incident happened the
same week that legislation passed through the parliament, meaning there's
going to be minimum mandatory sentence for those who assault workers.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
First off, what was your.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
Reaction when you heard about this incident.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
I was contacted by members and told about this situation.
It was disgraceful conduct. The fact is that this youth
has called for EEMBLANCE staff to come and provide assistance
to him, and then he's indecently, allegedly indecently assauld of
these ambulance, two ladies working in paramedics and then for
them to be spat at. This is a prime example
of a policy decision that the Commissioner of Police has
taken in respect to the use of spit guards on
(06:28):
youth and adults in our custody facilities. It hasn't gone
far enough. What we believe at the NTPA, it needs
to be used in field as well. We need to
have that ability to use them. Currently they're under review
in respect to that. There should be a decision that's
going before a Workplace committee on the thirtieth of this
month in respect to the use of spit guards as well.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
So this incident has really prompted you to push for
this to go further, to go.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
Further, and we've got the facility. The Commissioners made the
policy decision in respect to using it in custy facilities
on both youth and adult and this occasion it's adopt
his behavior. It was placed on him inside the custody facility,
it stopped his behavior. It was removed very much soon
after after he's placed in the cell. So therefore the
protection of our members was guaranteed and make sure that
they weren' assaulted.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
So this is an example obviously of the spit guard
needing to be utilized. Is this the first time that
it's had to be That was the.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
First time after the legislation had passed. Again, providing safe
work environment for our staff is what we want. We
want to make sure that it's available to members out
on the field as well, not just in our custody
facilities as well.
Speaker 1 (07:29):
So how would that look like if it was available
out on the field. Out in the field as well,
if you've got an offender, or if you've got somebody
spitting at you while you're trying to arrest them, you're
able to utilize.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
It to utilize in the field as well. Our biggest
risk for our police officers being spat on is in
the field. Despite the legislation changes making a managerent minimum
sentence of three months for the first offense, we still
need that ability. We want to prevent these assaults from occurring.
We don't want to actually deal with the assaults after
the fact. But we'd rushed ab out to protect our
members out in the street.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
So you'd like those spit guards the use of them
to be expanded and did for adults and youth.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
It's personal protection equipment cartie for our members. We want
to make sure that our members do have to go
through the rigmarole of being tested, blood test and everything
else and the test results to come back and then
to be impacted both obviously operationally and also personally because
of an assault and assault.
Speaker 1 (08:16):
So is that something you've spoken to the Chief Minister about.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
We've spoken to the Chief Minister also spoken to the
Commissioner of Police, so communicated with them last week in
respect to that. So we're waiting for a decision to
come back. As I said, that goes before a committee.
The risk management of the Northern Territory Police have done
a risk assessment on this and to make sure that
there's an assessment done on the thirtieth and we hopefully
get a decision that our members of feel support in
that workplace.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
Finny, there's been quite a few sort of legislative changes
I guess as well over the last week. But before
I get to that, how are things going over the
last week or so in terms of assaults towards our police,
because I know there's been instances of police being driven
at by stolen cars as well.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
There's still a number of concerning issues going on CARTI
but the fact is we've had legislation passed now it's
going to come into effects soon and I can't think
this CLP government for actually listening to our members. Over
a long long time, we haven't been listened to, Katie.
They've passed these legislation through for protection of our members,
to make sure our members have got greater powers in
dealing with these offenders in the community. Unfortunately, we're going
to be placed in harms way on a number of occasions.
(09:13):
We're going to make sure that people are held responsible
for these crimes and to make sure that our members
are secure and safe in the community and do what
they need to do.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
What's been the reaction from police and from your members.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
Now, members have been positive about the legative changes. They're
actually felt like they're being listened to.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
Now.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
The impact that the CLP government had as soon as
they were appointed to the new government has been huge
for our members and we're being reported that back to
our association on a number of occasions, they feel like
they're support they feel like that they're being listened to,
and they feel like we're going to take a tough
on crime approach, which we need here in the Northern
Territory any Wood.
Speaker 1 (09:45):
You know, when it comes to some of those other changes,
like the impact of the changing or the raising re lowering,
I should say of the criminal age, any impact at
this point in time, or any sort of anecdotal evidence
that the members are giving you at the moment.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
Again, legislation is going to take time to come into
effect and our members need to be trained on this
as well. But from what the indication is that people
are going to be held at the earliest possibility to
be placed into a program or to base in a
mandatory program to make sure that these kids are getting
the right attention. We're sick of the old responsible adult.
We drop them home to responsible adult. If they are
responsible adult to start with, Kadie, they wouldn't be out
(10:20):
the street walking around breaking laws, committing criminal offenses. Unfortunately
seen this time and time again. But we need to
make sure that there's manastry programs for these youth. If
they are picked up, they're placed into this as manatry,
not voluntary like it has been under the previous government.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
What's the feel within the force right now, you know,
with all the changes that have been made and with
the legislation being passed over the last couple of weeks,
what are members saying to you?
Speaker 2 (10:42):
They're overwhelmed with a number of changes that occurred and
then how quickly it's occurred. Again, we're still dealing with
a resource issue that we're still trying to play catch
up on over a number of years of neglect for
our resourcing of policing. But again we're trying hard to
get on with what we need to do and providing
these law changes. They're providing that support to our front
line ment is to make sure that there's consequences for
people that actually bring into custody and placing before the court.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
System, anything else we should be aware of before I
let you go.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
This morning, the corrections issue in Arena early. I spoke
to her this morning. I've been at the Parmesan Watchest
this morning as well. It's a volatile situation, but our
staff being professional, they're dealing with it the best possible
way they can. We've got a plan going forward. It's
just going to take a bit of time to get
this plan working through and the government's been quite on
the front foot advocating and giving us updates and relations
(11:28):
back to that plan, and also the Commissioner has as well,
and we can't thank them enough for that because it
praises that huge amount of pressure on us, But it's
a volatile situation. We're going to have to monitor and
to make sure that our staff and also the correction
staff that are looking after these excess numbers are safe
and secure.
Speaker 1 (11:42):
And and when you say it's volatile, are you concerned
that we could end up with writing or something else going.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
We've seen that in the past, Katie, and I'd hate
to think of it again in the future. But again
I think that's that's a real consequence of what's happening
at the moment.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
Well. Nathan Finn, President of the Northern Territory Polices Asociation,
thank you so much for your time this morning.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
Thank you Katie, and thank you all to your listeners.
But as much as the thank you to the men
and women are blue out there that do go above
and beyond every single day of the week and make
sure that they're protecting the community and making sure you
both you and I and our families are safe at night.
So we can't say thank you enough.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
Good stuff, Thank you, Thanks Finny,
Now, as I mentioned, the Northern Territory government says that
it is enacting emergency measures across the Northern Territory's prisons
and police watch houses to address extraordinary risks posed by
record overcrowding. Now. In a statement over the weekend, the
Department of Corrections said that prisoner numbers across the Northern
Territory had reached two thousand, three hundred and seventy on Friday,
(00:24):
following a rapid and continuing surge of inmates. Now joining
me in the studio, well, he's the president of the
Northern Territory Police Association, not Corrections, but no doubt having
an impact.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Good morning to your Finny, Good morning Katy, Good morning
to your listeners.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
Always good to catch up with you now, Finny, in
terms of these huge prisoner numbers, we know that we've
had huge issues with our correctional facilities for a number
of years in terms of really not having room for
all of the inmates that we've got. I mean we've
reached emergency situation now.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Again, Katie. I can speak from experience here obviously managing
the Palmeston Watchhouse and the Palmeston Police Station for a
number of years as well, this is not a new issue.
This is highlighted the government some five years ago. We're
at capacity at that point in time. They've been trying
to deal with that and kind of put band aid
solutions in place to deal with this, but they haven't
actually had a plan to go forward about increasing the
number of beds available for the correctional facility. And now
(01:19):
we're seeing an overflow under police watchouse which is causing
our staff much undue stress and we're waiting for this
volatile situation to become out of control at a point
where the prison has just had enough. It's unfortunate that
we're placing this position, but again we're in this because
there was no plan to go forward.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
Do you worry that I mean, if it reaches a
situation where it is a volatile situation. I mean even
in recent weeks we've had a whistleblower contact us about
a prison guard being assaulted, kicked in the head and
knocked unconscious. Do you worry that it is going to
then become a situation where the police are going to
be called in to the correctional facilities to assist.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
And we've seen this before, Katie, We've dealt with the
situations that at the whole facility a number of years
ago now where it actually turned into rite and turn
obviously quite violent out there, and the situation involved in
the couple of burnings of buildings, et cetera out there
where police were forced to respond to that. But unfortunately,
at the moment, the correction staffing are understaffed. They're struggling
to deal with the demand and the numbers they've got
in their facilities and that's flowing into a police watchhouses
(02:17):
and causing our staff much grief and we can't use
facilities which they're designed for for our purposes.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
How busy are the watch houses right now?
Speaker 2 (02:27):
They are flat out the staff dealing with a high
stress situation of people coming and going. They're causing delays
for people coming into the watchhouse, in processing our prisoners,
processing their prisoners in and out. It's causing delays and
they're causing a large amount of stress for our staff.
I have been speaking the Commission of Police over the
weekend in respect to this. He's been in consultation with
Commissioner Valley over the weekend. We have seen some things
(02:48):
happen occur over the weekend which has reduced our numbers.
As an example, we had eighty four in corrections prisoners
in Parmesan Watchhouse alone on Saturday. That's reduced to about
seventy three I think on Sunday, and then reduced again
to sixty four this morning. But sixty four on top
of our normal numbers at the Palmeston watch out. It's
a high stra of situations.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
So where have they gone? You said, those numbers have reduced?
Where have they gone? We?
Speaker 2 (03:10):
All I can say is that again that's the thing
for corrections. But they've made available beds to move them
out of the watchest. They've made a commitment to us
and the commitment to the police to make sure we
can actually use how watch houses as they're designed to
do for police well.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
Because I mean some of the discussion now is that
it's the legislative changes that have come into place that
are seeing those prisoner numbers increase. I mean, is that
too soon?
Speaker 2 (03:32):
Really, that's far too soon, Caadian. We have proposed with
the government, we have met with the government. We're going
to see a spike in prison numbers due the legislation changes.
But at least they're doing something to actually curb this
behavior and peractually potter to terrence to the community and
make sure that the community is protected. It's a bit
early to say that these legislation changes. Some of them
haven't come into effect, Katy, and some of them won't
come into effect till January next year as well. But
(03:54):
we've seen this highlighted over in time and time again.
There's been no plan for corrections for the last five
or six years, and that's why we're in this situation
we are in today.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
Finny. I know that people are going to be listening
this morning and they're going to be thinking to themselves.
My biggest concern is that if someone breaks the law
on the street, if somebody assaults someone else, if somebody
sexually assaults somebody, are they still going to be arrested?
Are they still going to be taken to a watchhouse?
Speaker 2 (04:21):
I can guarantee you, Katie, that they'll be arrested by
the Northern Churchy Police, they'll be placed before the court system,
and that the decision will be made at the court system.
Then it's the obligation of Corrections under the Corrections Act
to make sure that they accept the prisoners. Where they
put them is up to them, and that's the decision
for these guys.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
Do you have any concerns that you know that the
courts might look at this current situation and go, oh
goodness me, you know, there's nowhere for this person to go.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Definitely, Katie, that's a decision for the judge. That's a
decision for the people that are actually sentencing these prisoners
to go. Hang on a minute, there's no room map
at Holts. We're just going to put more pressure on
the situation. Again, that's a decision for them, and I
shouldn't I can't say what they should be doing. Yeah,
But decision for the judge at the time about the
serious of the offenses and to make sure that they're
adequately providing a deerterrent to the community and make sure
(05:07):
these people are held responsible their crimes are committing.
Speaker 1 (05:09):
But you're confident the police are still going to be
able to do their jobs and that you know, people
who have broken the law are going to have.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
To face that guaranteed, Katie, and the police will continue
to be the police and no matter how much pressures
on the correctional system, they'll be still arrested in placed
before the courts as as soon as possible and the
investigations will still continue.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
Finny. Last week we heard that two female paramedics were
assaulted while trying to assist a young person in Nakara.
Now it's alleged this fourteen year old boy in decently
assaulted paramedics before spitting in the ambulance last Wednesday night.
The teen is further accused of damaging a medical vehicle
and electronic equipment in a police car. He's also spat
(05:49):
towards multiple police officers allegedly and has since been charged
with a number of offenses. Now, this incident happened the
same week that legislation passed through the parliament, meaning there's
going to be minimum mandatory sentence for those who assault workers.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
First off, what was your.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
Reaction when you heard about this incident.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
I was contacted by members and told about this situation.
It was disgraceful conduct. The fact is that this youth
has called for EEMBLANCE staff to come and provide assistance
to him, and then he's indecently, allegedly indecently assauld of
these ambulance, two ladies working in paramedics and then for
them to be spat at. This is a prime example
of a policy decision that the Commissioner of Police has
taken in respect to the use of spit guards on
(06:28):
youth and adults in our custody facilities. It hasn't gone
far enough. What we believe at the NTPA, it needs
to be used in field as well. We need to
have that ability to use them. Currently they're under review
in respect to that. There should be a decision that's
going before a Workplace committee on the thirtieth of this
month in respect to the use of spit guards as well.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
So this incident has really prompted you to push for
this to go further, to go.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
Further, and we've got the facility. The Commissioners made the
policy decision in respect to using it in custy facilities
on both youth and adult and this occasion it's adopt
his behavior. It was placed on him inside the custody facility,
it stopped his behavior. It was removed very much soon
after after he's placed in the cell. So therefore the
protection of our members was guaranteed and make sure that
they weren' assaulted.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
So this is an example obviously of the spit guard
needing to be utilized. Is this the first time that
it's had to be That was the.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
First time after the legislation had passed. Again, providing safe
work environment for our staff is what we want. We
want to make sure that it's available to members out
on the field as well, not just in our custody
facilities as well.
Speaker 1 (07:29):
So how would that look like if it was available
out on the field. Out in the field as well,
if you've got an offender, or if you've got somebody
spitting at you while you're trying to arrest them, you're
able to utilize.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
It to utilize in the field as well. Our biggest
risk for our police officers being spat on is in
the field. Despite the legislation changes making a managerent minimum
sentence of three months for the first offense, we still
need that ability. We want to prevent these assaults from occurring.
We don't want to actually deal with the assaults after
the fact. But we'd rushed ab out to protect our
members out in the street.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
So you'd like those spit guards the use of them
to be expanded and did for adults and youth.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
It's personal protection equipment cartie for our members. We want
to make sure that our members do have to go
through the rigmarole of being tested, blood test and everything
else and the test results to come back and then
to be impacted both obviously operationally and also personally because
of an assault and assault.
Speaker 1 (08:16):
So is that something you've spoken to the Chief Minister about.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
We've spoken to the Chief Minister also spoken to the
Commissioner of Police, so communicated with them last week in
respect to that. So we're waiting for a decision to
come back. As I said, that goes before a committee.
The risk management of the Northern Territory Police have done
a risk assessment on this and to make sure that
there's an assessment done on the thirtieth and we hopefully
get a decision that our members of feel support in
that workplace.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
Finny, there's been quite a few sort of legislative changes
I guess as well over the last week. But before
I get to that, how are things going over the
last week or so in terms of assaults towards our police,
because I know there's been instances of police being driven
at by stolen cars as well.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
There's still a number of concerning issues going on CARTI
but the fact is we've had legislation passed now it's
going to come into effects soon and I can't think
this CLP government for actually listening to our members. Over
a long long time, we haven't been listened to, Katie.
They've passed these legislation through for protection of our members,
to make sure our members have got greater powers in
dealing with these offenders in the community. Unfortunately, we're going
to be placed in harms way on a number of occasions.
(09:13):
We're going to make sure that people are held responsible
for these crimes and to make sure that our members
are secure and safe in the community and do what
they need to do.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
What's been the reaction from police and from your members.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
Now, members have been positive about the legative changes. They're
actually felt like they're being listened to.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
Now.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
The impact that the CLP government had as soon as
they were appointed to the new government has been huge
for our members and we're being reported that back to
our association on a number of occasions, they feel like
they're support they feel like that they're being listened to,
and they feel like we're going to take a tough
on crime approach, which we need here in the Northern
Territory any Wood.
Speaker 1 (09:45):
You know, when it comes to some of those other changes,
like the impact of the changing or the raising re lowering,
I should say of the criminal age, any impact at
this point in time, or any sort of anecdotal evidence
that the members are giving you at the moment.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
Again, legislation is going to take time to come into
effect and our members need to be trained on this
as well. But from what the indication is that people
are going to be held at the earliest possibility to
be placed into a program or to base in a
mandatory program to make sure that these kids are getting
the right attention. We're sick of the old responsible adult.
We drop them home to responsible adult. If they are
responsible adult to start with, Kadie, they wouldn't be out
(10:20):
the street walking around breaking laws, committing criminal offenses. Unfortunately
seen this time and time again. But we need to
make sure that there's manastry programs for these youth. If
they are picked up, they're placed into this as manatry,
not voluntary like it has been under the previous government.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
What's the feel within the force right now, you know,
with all the changes that have been made and with
the legislation being passed over the last couple of weeks,
what are members saying to you?
Speaker 2 (10:42):
They're overwhelmed with a number of changes that occurred and
then how quickly it's occurred. Again, we're still dealing with
a resource issue that we're still trying to play catch
up on over a number of years of neglect for
our resourcing of policing. But again we're trying hard to
get on with what we need to do and providing
these law changes. They're providing that support to our front
line ment is to make sure that there's consequences for
people that actually bring into custody and placing before the court.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
System, anything else we should be aware of before I
let you go.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
This morning, the corrections issue in Arena early. I spoke
to her this morning. I've been at the Parmesan Watchest
this morning as well. It's a volatile situation, but our
staff being professional, they're dealing with it the best possible
way they can. We've got a plan going forward. It's
just going to take a bit of time to get
this plan working through and the government's been quite on
the front foot advocating and giving us updates and relations
(11:28):
back to that plan, and also the Commissioner has as well,
and we can't thank them enough for that because it
praises that huge amount of pressure on us, But it's
a volatile situation. We're going to have to monitor and
to make sure that our staff and also the correction
staff that are looking after these excess numbers are safe
and secure.
Speaker 1 (11:42):
And and when you say it's volatile, are you concerned
that we could end up with writing or something else going.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
We've seen that in the past, Katie, and I'd hate
to think of it again in the future. But again
I think that's that's a real consequence of what's happening
at the moment.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
Well. Nathan Finn, President of the Northern Territory Polices Asociation,
thank you so much for your time this morning.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
Thank you Katie, and thank you all to your listeners.
But as much as the thank you to the men
and women are blue out there that do go above
and beyond every single day of the week and make
sure that they're protecting the community and making sure you
both you and I and our families are safe at night.
So we can't say thank you enough.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
Good stuff, Thank you, Thanks Finny,
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