July 1, 2026 • 16 mins
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
There's plenty going on this morning, and all eyes were
on Territory day of course overnight and well seeing if
people would behave themselves on the whole. It does sound
or look as though they have. But joining us in
the studio right now, is he acting Northern Territory Police
Commissioner Travis Worst. Good morning to.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
You, morning coatie, you and your listeners.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
How did it go last night? Did people behave.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Look generally yes, So if you talk about say Middle Beach,
for example, extremely well attended, lots of families, lots of
people there before the sun went down. We did see
some behavior that wasn't sort of quite meeting expectation. There's
a couple of people that had their fireworks confiscated because
they weren't quite doing the right thing, a couple of
people taken into protective custody by police. But generally speaking,
(00:50):
the crowd was well behaved and we didn't see any
injuries worth sort of reporting upon.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
That's good.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
That is a good news story, but.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Too many bits associated with it.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
So from a police fire an Ambulance ability service perspective,
this is a day that always worries us, but thankfully
the weather was on our side. It was a nice
still night. There was a bit of moisture in the air,
which meant that those stray fireworks that previously might have
caused fires, we didn't see that sort of happening. So
(01:23):
there were some blazers and the firees are onto those
pretty quickly. But generally from a fire perspective as well,
I understand it, it.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
Was okay, yeah, well, we'll catch up with the firees
as well after ten o'clock this morning. But tell us,
Acting Commissioner, in terms of those the few people that
were taken into protective custody or that weren't necessarily doing
the right thing, and you know, you had to confiscate
the fireworks, what were they doing?
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Look, I understand.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
So I actually spent some time down at Middle Beach
myself with my family, and I can sort of see
what the police may have done. There were some people
carrying fireworks in hands and letting them off and shoot
them where they shouldn't have.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
That sort of not the.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
What's in the spirit of territory day. So those people
obviously had their fireworks confiscated and were moved on. The
people taking it to custody were just intoxicated, and it wasn't.
It wasn't in relation to fireworks. Necessarily, there was a
fire out and beest creek of the shed. My understanding
from the pluming investigations, it's not Territory Day related. It's
(02:24):
another set of circumstances. There were two vehicles and a
buggy destroyed in that blaze, and we're currently investigating that
with fire and our investigations teams.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
But at this point in time it's not believed that
it is territory Day related, not firework related.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Correct.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
I'd actually double checked that before I walked in the door,
because I knew that would be an important point. Generally
across the territory. As I understand having spoken to folks
up and down the track this morning, the story is
the same. Generally well behaved. There's always the odd outlier
here and there. You know, there were reports in say
(03:00):
the CBD here where people were letting fireworks off on
the road and soon saw it so forth. But the
only thing that's probably worth mentioning is some people didn't
clean up after themselves and there's a bit of a mess,
which is a little disappointing. But again, generally from a
territory perspective, you know, it's an iconic night. Everyone was
generally well behaved and we're relessive to be happy with
the way it all went, and so people.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
Have gotten till midday today, as I understand it, to
hand any unused fireworks back in.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
Look, yes, that's correct.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
Obviously there's a cut off point last night for them
to be led off, and some people didn't probablybably follow that,
but for those who were still awake at one am
as a consequence, But again that's that whole messaging piece.
And as I say, again from a safety perspective and
community safety, it was generally well, everyone was well hoped.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
Well, that is good to hear because it is. It's
a lot of fun for lots of people if you're
doing the right thing. Yeah, so we want to make
sure people do the right thing because then you know,
the ability for it to be able to continue, I
would think is sort of increased we do the right thing,
whereas if you're acting like a you know, an idiot.
I was trying to think of a better word.
Speaker 2 (04:04):
But yeah, there were digulous.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
Out there and they were doing things that they shouldn't have.
But we always anticipate that and that's why we've got
a strong presence and just trying to make sure that
those that aren't going to detract from what is pretty awesome.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
You should have seen the number of.
Speaker 3 (04:17):
Tourists around, and they should have seen the smiles on
their faces carrying these greatly boxes of fireworks down the.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Hills so I might go out.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
I've got to tell you my daughter was very proud
of herself when she came home with what looked like
a gigantic rocket. You know. So the kids do enjoy.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
It, that's visual they do again pleasingly. There were some
very minor injuries reported to us.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
YEP.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
The Saint John's or the hospital may have additional information,
but as far as I'm aware, we didn't have anything
that was catastrophical.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
Well, look, we are going to catch up with the
nursing and we're free director at Royal Dalen Hospital a
little bit later this morning as well, so we'll suss
that out. But Acting Commissioner, I do want to ask
you about the OC because we spoke a little earlier
in the week to the Chief Minister. She joined us
on the show on Monday and confirmed that she's on
track to legislate the use of OC spray for self defense.
(05:09):
Following that trial, which is due to end in September,
she said, barring something catastrophic happening in the next two months,
that the trial had been a success and she was
considering how it might be expanded. Are you able to
sort of talk us through the numbers from a police
perspective in terms of I don't know whether you've got
the detail of how many purchases have been made, but
(05:30):
you know, like just how many people actually have their
hands on OC spray.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
Look, I certainly can so. For example, just by way
of a week one week last week, there were fifty
five purchases in total during the period of the trial.
That brings the total number of purchases by an individual
to three thousand and sixty The breakdown of those purchases
are there's three six hundred and twenty three in our
(06:00):
sorry thirty two, three thousand, six thirty two in Darwin
Catherine seven hundred and thirty five, Tenant Creek one hundred
and seven, and Alice Springs three hundred and seventy three.
Yeah right, yeah, so, and that's a total.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Number of cannisters of four eight hundred and eighty six.
That's for the period of the trial.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
And so do you have you found that largely people
are doing the right thing or have there been many
people that have tried to unlawfully purchase We.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
Have identified throughout the entire period of the trial, eight sorry,
forty prohibited purchases identified, and they've all been dealt with
in relation to either that purchase either having it returned
or prevented from purchasing. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
I know, when we'd spoken to one of the retailers,
they'd said that, you know, it's actually really like it's
the police are really proactive with it. That obviously the
information goes through that they've got to get from those retailers,
and that then if there is somebody who's purchased it
that shouldn't, the police are really very quick to get
onto that. What's the process from your perspective.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
The all the way in which the purchase occurs.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
Obviously you need to provide id when you actually initiate
initiate that purchase, that then goes into the system and
that gives you us the ability to do that cross referencing.
In the initial, say, first month, there were a number
like more identified early and we dealt with those very quickly,
and we've seen that number sort of dissipate over time,
but obviously there's been a few that have come up,
(07:24):
and we've got a team that's sitting in the back
end that assesses this every day, and as it's reported
to us, we deal with it.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
And so with the forty that were purchased, you know,
that were prohibited, they were on that list that they
shouldn't have been. That was obviously then the police have
gotten those back, those canisters back.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
We've recovered fifty eight canisters from those forty persons that
purchased right.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
And so then when you look at incidents that have
maybe occurred where oc spray has been used inappropriately or
in a way that it's not meant to have been used,
has there been I recall one incident in the city
I believe where the police actually charged somebody, But have
there been others That.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
Is the only one that I'm aware of that we
as led to a charge.
Speaker 3 (08:07):
Have been others that have been reported during the trial,
but we've worked out through out investgative processes that they've
actually been purchased elsewhere on the internet, all from into states,
so they weren't actually part of the our trial. We've
identified only a very small number of incidences where it's
either been presented and that you've spoke of one that
(08:28):
was used.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
But holistically, the level of.
Speaker 3 (08:32):
Maturity from the Northern Territory community has been been outstanding
around what this trial was designed to do and the
way in which the community has reacted and accepted what
this level of responsibility means for those who've purchased. And
we're talking about three thy and sixty people across the
territory who have purchased for their own legitimate reasons.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
It's really pleasing from our perspective.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
So from a police perspective, would you feel as though
it would be quite safe for that trial to be
extended well?
Speaker 3 (09:00):
As the Chief Minister is indicated, they're looking at moving
from trial to something more permanent. There's based on the
evidence that's before us now, there is strong support for
the methodology that we've put in place around the way
in which there's the governance associated with the purchase and
if there's prohibited people, we're able to deal with that
relatively quickly. We're taking those canisters back out of a community,
(09:24):
and then that means the rest of those that have
purchased are legitimate purchases. So the way it's progressing, we'll
obviously do a pre trial post trial review to provide
that to government so that we've got a more fulsome assessment.
It's not just based on the words of myself today,
but it's certainly tracking positively.
Speaker 1 (09:43):
And what about the potential use of young people from
the age of sixteen being able to access it.
Speaker 3 (09:49):
I can understand why that's been considered. And again, if
that were the way in which government choose us to go,
then that's the law that we will enforce as part
of our controls and regulations around the supply of voseis broke.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
And I know there's this argument, like there's certainly some
people in the community they're just saying, well, they're not
even allowed to use social media until they're sixteen, But
then others saying, well, hang on, you're allowed to drive
a car. So I guess there's mixed You know, there
may be mixed views. Some young people might be very responsible,
others may be not so much. But I'm assuming there'd
be a process that people need to go through as
there is for adults purchasing, and probably even more stringent
(10:25):
for a young person.
Speaker 3 (10:26):
Oh look, all that shit to be determined, but yes,
so it will be there'll be appropriate checks and balances
in place if that were the age cutoff that the
government chooses ultimately, if this moves from trial to being permanent.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
Now, if you have just joined us in the studio
this morning, is the acting Police Commissioner Travis Wurst. Now
we also know the first twenty one ppsos. They began
work this week. They're aimed at being very visible, helping
to reduce antisocial behavior and strengthen public confidence. How has
that first week gone outstanding?
Speaker 3 (10:57):
So we've got the first in dam We've had the
first hit the road as part of Op Ventura, which
is dedicated and focused into the Palmerston area. The other
seven that have rolled out in dal And have been
doing days and eating shifts across the rest of the
Greater Dalen area, working with all our other policing teams.
Two in Catherine will commence on Monday after they've had
(11:19):
their transfers and downlifts, and the team in Alice Springs
there's six and Alis they will be commencing duty on
Saturday as part of a high visibility set of patrols
at the Ali Springs Show.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
So tell me, what kind of work have the officers
that have already started. What have they been doing? Have
they been tipping out alcohol? What's the guy? Have you
got some numbers for a Stravis can tell you? Here,
give us a snapshot, because I reckon people will be
keen to hear a little bit more about the work
that they do, and we know that really one of
those jobs was going to be making sure that you
know they're going through and really sort of stopping any
(11:56):
of that anti social behavior, I guess before it escalates.
Speaker 3 (11:59):
Indeed, So let's bear in mind that the twenty one
graduated last Friday, and the first set in dah on
the thirteen are here. They all went through their inductions
on Monday. So since then they've been on the road,
so to speak, and specifically that group have done eighty
two reassurance patrols, twenty seven of those considered to be
high visibility foot patrols. They've tipped out one hundred and
(12:22):
twenty seven leaders of alcohol. They've issued thirty two band
drinker orders. They've taken seventeen people into protective custody, arrested
nine others for either offences, warrants, or to sorely behavior,
and they've issued issued nine.
Speaker 2 (12:35):
Some infringement notors.
Speaker 1 (12:36):
So they've been busy.
Speaker 3 (12:38):
They've been busy, they've hit the street. They're doing exactly
what they're design to do. They're there from a public perspective,
dealing with any social behavior, working through what those challenges
and issues look like, and ultimately making that part of
the community safer wherever they're operating well.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
And what's been the feedback then from other police within,
you know, let's say, out in the Palmeston region, in
terms of that load being able to be taken off
them to some degree so that they can do some
of the other jobs that they want to be able
to do.
Speaker 3 (13:05):
So our demand environment in Darwin is still really high.
Nothing but positive. They can see the workforce, can see
what ultimately this preventative policing activity looks like, and it
will take a lot of pressure off our frontline resources
over time. This is only the first thirteen. We've got
another recruit course currently running. They'll graduate on nine September.
(13:28):
Once that team also hits the road, we'll slowly see
this bill. We can continue to recruit, we'll continue to
roll them out and over time over the next probably
eighteen months, to two years, you'll start to see I
would suggest visible differences in relation to the way in
which any social behavior is managed across our Greater daal
In area. It will give our people much greater capacity
(13:48):
to actually move into some of that prevention as opposed
to just constantly reacting to what's happening in the community.
Speaker 1 (13:53):
And just before I let you go, how is Operation
Venturer tracking. I mean you're sort of touched on it
there to some degree with what the work the ppsos
have been up to over the last few days. But
how are things going out there in Palmerston where there
has been that real focus from the police because of
some of the issues that you've been seeing in Palmerston.
Speaker 3 (14:11):
So the general feedback from the community has been great obviously,
I mean some of the feedback was that needed to happen.
There was obviously some concerns around some of the behaviors
that were had been escalating. We obviously saw the crime
stats as well. But the team working not just it's
not just a police team. We've got a multi government
agency approach to what of Ventura is.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
We're using our Darwin Parmers and.
Speaker 3 (14:34):
Lichfield itcg SO interagency tasking Coordination Group to lead this
work so that it's it's if we're interdicting here with
a group of people, then we've got other agencies coming
behind them to help them out. If it's housing, if
it's Services Australia, if it's camping on Crown Land, it's
all those things. We're trying to make sure that it's
(14:55):
not a band aid or superficial.
Speaker 2 (14:56):
It's got some sustainability.
Speaker 3 (14:57):
Sue very important, I think absolutely. Look, let's pick some
highlights here from week six up to week six of
op Ventura, seven hundred and ninety liters of alcohol destroyed, Wow,
ninety nine people arrested, seventy eight people taking into protective custody,
two hundred band drinking orders. We have wandered eight hundred
(15:19):
and forty four people, which has identified twenty four we'll
call them weapons for the sake of this, and issue
twenty nine infringement notices. So interestingly, a lot of those
were done by the PPSAs this week.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
So they're the statistics.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
That's the quantitative. The qualitative is that the feeling Parmeistan
has changed. People feel they feel that the perception of
safety has come back, which is.
Speaker 1 (15:48):
Good and I think that that's absolutely what they want.
I know that the police won't take your foot off
the pedal. You'll be wanting to make sure that it
continues down that path because it is something that people expect,
right They want to see police out on the beat.
They want to be able to see that visual policing,
and I know that our officers aren't able to be everywhere.
Hopefully those ppsos so do help to some degree.
Speaker 3 (16:09):
They'll absolutely help, and as they continue to be recruited,
so that the smiles on the face of the twenty
one that graduated on Friday was outstanding and they are
going to be our most the greatest marketing tool that
we have for all the next recruit courses coming through.
Speaker 2 (16:24):
Watching them get out and do their job. It's good
selling their friends. Yeah, no, good, fantastic.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
Oh well, Travis worse. The Northern Territories Acting Police Commission
are really good to catch up with you this morning.
Thanks so much for your time.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
Thanks Katie, thank you
There's plenty going on this morning, and all eyes were
on Territory day of course overnight and well seeing if
people would behave themselves on the whole. It does sound
or look as though they have. But joining us in
the studio right now, is he acting Northern Territory Police
Commissioner Travis Worst. Good morning to.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
You, morning coatie, you and your listeners.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
How did it go last night? Did people behave.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Look generally yes, So if you talk about say Middle Beach,
for example, extremely well attended, lots of families, lots of
people there before the sun went down. We did see
some behavior that wasn't sort of quite meeting expectation. There's
a couple of people that had their fireworks confiscated because
they weren't quite doing the right thing, a couple of
people taken into protective custody by police. But generally speaking,
(00:50):
the crowd was well behaved and we didn't see any
injuries worth sort of reporting upon.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
That's good.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
That is a good news story, but.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Too many bits associated with it.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
So from a police fire an Ambulance ability service perspective,
this is a day that always worries us, but thankfully
the weather was on our side. It was a nice
still night. There was a bit of moisture in the air,
which meant that those stray fireworks that previously might have
caused fires, we didn't see that sort of happening. So
(01:23):
there were some blazers and the firees are onto those
pretty quickly. But generally from a fire perspective as well,
I understand it, it.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
Was okay, yeah, well, we'll catch up with the firees
as well after ten o'clock this morning. But tell us,
Acting Commissioner, in terms of those the few people that
were taken into protective custody or that weren't necessarily doing
the right thing, and you know, you had to confiscate
the fireworks, what were they doing?
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Look, I understand.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
So I actually spent some time down at Middle Beach
myself with my family, and I can sort of see
what the police may have done. There were some people
carrying fireworks in hands and letting them off and shoot
them where they shouldn't have.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
That sort of not the.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
What's in the spirit of territory day. So those people
obviously had their fireworks confiscated and were moved on. The
people taking it to custody were just intoxicated, and it wasn't.
It wasn't in relation to fireworks. Necessarily, there was a
fire out and beest creek of the shed. My understanding
from the pluming investigations, it's not Territory Day related. It's
(02:24):
another set of circumstances. There were two vehicles and a
buggy destroyed in that blaze, and we're currently investigating that
with fire and our investigations teams.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
But at this point in time it's not believed that
it is territory Day related, not firework related.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Correct.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
I'd actually double checked that before I walked in the door,
because I knew that would be an important point. Generally
across the territory. As I understand having spoken to folks
up and down the track this morning, the story is
the same. Generally well behaved. There's always the odd outlier
here and there. You know, there were reports in say
(03:00):
the CBD here where people were letting fireworks off on
the road and soon saw it so forth. But the
only thing that's probably worth mentioning is some people didn't
clean up after themselves and there's a bit of a mess,
which is a little disappointing. But again, generally from a
territory perspective, you know, it's an iconic night. Everyone was
generally well behaved and we're relessive to be happy with
the way it all went, and so people.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
Have gotten till midday today, as I understand it, to
hand any unused fireworks back in.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
Look, yes, that's correct.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
Obviously there's a cut off point last night for them
to be led off, and some people didn't probablybably follow that,
but for those who were still awake at one am
as a consequence, But again that's that whole messaging piece.
And as I say, again from a safety perspective and
community safety, it was generally well, everyone was well hoped.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
Well, that is good to hear because it is. It's
a lot of fun for lots of people if you're
doing the right thing. Yeah, so we want to make
sure people do the right thing because then you know,
the ability for it to be able to continue, I
would think is sort of increased we do the right thing,
whereas if you're acting like a you know, an idiot.
I was trying to think of a better word.
Speaker 2 (04:04):
But yeah, there were digulous.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
Out there and they were doing things that they shouldn't have.
But we always anticipate that and that's why we've got
a strong presence and just trying to make sure that
those that aren't going to detract from what is pretty awesome.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
You should have seen the number of.
Speaker 3 (04:17):
Tourists around, and they should have seen the smiles on
their faces carrying these greatly boxes of fireworks down the.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Hills so I might go out.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
I've got to tell you my daughter was very proud
of herself when she came home with what looked like
a gigantic rocket. You know. So the kids do enjoy.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
It, that's visual they do again pleasingly. There were some
very minor injuries reported to us.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
YEP.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
The Saint John's or the hospital may have additional information,
but as far as I'm aware, we didn't have anything
that was catastrophical.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
Well, look, we are going to catch up with the
nursing and we're free director at Royal Dalen Hospital a
little bit later this morning as well, so we'll suss
that out. But Acting Commissioner, I do want to ask
you about the OC because we spoke a little earlier
in the week to the Chief Minister. She joined us
on the show on Monday and confirmed that she's on
track to legislate the use of OC spray for self defense.
(05:09):
Following that trial, which is due to end in September,
she said, barring something catastrophic happening in the next two months,
that the trial had been a success and she was
considering how it might be expanded. Are you able to
sort of talk us through the numbers from a police
perspective in terms of I don't know whether you've got
the detail of how many purchases have been made, but
(05:30):
you know, like just how many people actually have their
hands on OC spray.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
Look, I certainly can so. For example, just by way
of a week one week last week, there were fifty
five purchases in total during the period of the trial.
That brings the total number of purchases by an individual
to three thousand and sixty The breakdown of those purchases
are there's three six hundred and twenty three in our
(06:00):
sorry thirty two, three thousand, six thirty two in Darwin
Catherine seven hundred and thirty five, Tenant Creek one hundred
and seven, and Alice Springs three hundred and seventy three.
Yeah right, yeah, so, and that's a total.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Number of cannisters of four eight hundred and eighty six.
That's for the period of the trial.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
And so do you have you found that largely people
are doing the right thing or have there been many
people that have tried to unlawfully purchase We.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
Have identified throughout the entire period of the trial, eight sorry,
forty prohibited purchases identified, and they've all been dealt with
in relation to either that purchase either having it returned
or prevented from purchasing. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
I know, when we'd spoken to one of the retailers,
they'd said that, you know, it's actually really like it's
the police are really proactive with it. That obviously the
information goes through that they've got to get from those retailers,
and that then if there is somebody who's purchased it
that shouldn't, the police are really very quick to get
onto that. What's the process from your perspective.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
The all the way in which the purchase occurs.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
Obviously you need to provide id when you actually initiate
initiate that purchase, that then goes into the system and
that gives you us the ability to do that cross referencing.
In the initial, say, first month, there were a number
like more identified early and we dealt with those very quickly,
and we've seen that number sort of dissipate over time,
but obviously there's been a few that have come up,
(07:24):
and we've got a team that's sitting in the back
end that assesses this every day, and as it's reported
to us, we deal with it.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
And so with the forty that were purchased, you know,
that were prohibited, they were on that list that they
shouldn't have been. That was obviously then the police have
gotten those back, those canisters back.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
We've recovered fifty eight canisters from those forty persons that
purchased right.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
And so then when you look at incidents that have
maybe occurred where oc spray has been used inappropriately or
in a way that it's not meant to have been used,
has there been I recall one incident in the city
I believe where the police actually charged somebody, But have
there been others That.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
Is the only one that I'm aware of that we
as led to a charge.
Speaker 3 (08:07):
Have been others that have been reported during the trial,
but we've worked out through out investgative processes that they've
actually been purchased elsewhere on the internet, all from into states,
so they weren't actually part of the our trial. We've
identified only a very small number of incidences where it's
either been presented and that you've spoke of one that
(08:28):
was used.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
But holistically, the level of.
Speaker 3 (08:32):
Maturity from the Northern Territory community has been been outstanding
around what this trial was designed to do and the
way in which the community has reacted and accepted what
this level of responsibility means for those who've purchased. And
we're talking about three thy and sixty people across the
territory who have purchased for their own legitimate reasons.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
It's really pleasing from our perspective.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
So from a police perspective, would you feel as though
it would be quite safe for that trial to be
extended well?
Speaker 3 (09:00):
As the Chief Minister is indicated, they're looking at moving
from trial to something more permanent. There's based on the
evidence that's before us now, there is strong support for
the methodology that we've put in place around the way
in which there's the governance associated with the purchase and
if there's prohibited people, we're able to deal with that
relatively quickly. We're taking those canisters back out of a community,
(09:24):
and then that means the rest of those that have
purchased are legitimate purchases. So the way it's progressing, we'll
obviously do a pre trial post trial review to provide
that to government so that we've got a more fulsome assessment.
It's not just based on the words of myself today,
but it's certainly tracking positively.
Speaker 1 (09:43):
And what about the potential use of young people from
the age of sixteen being able to access it.
Speaker 3 (09:49):
I can understand why that's been considered. And again, if
that were the way in which government choose us to go,
then that's the law that we will enforce as part
of our controls and regulations around the supply of voseis broke.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
And I know there's this argument, like there's certainly some
people in the community they're just saying, well, they're not
even allowed to use social media until they're sixteen, But
then others saying, well, hang on, you're allowed to drive
a car. So I guess there's mixed You know, there
may be mixed views. Some young people might be very responsible,
others may be not so much. But I'm assuming there'd
be a process that people need to go through as
there is for adults purchasing, and probably even more stringent
(10:25):
for a young person.
Speaker 3 (10:26):
Oh look, all that shit to be determined, but yes,
so it will be there'll be appropriate checks and balances
in place if that were the age cutoff that the
government chooses ultimately, if this moves from trial to being permanent.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
Now, if you have just joined us in the studio
this morning, is the acting Police Commissioner Travis Wurst. Now
we also know the first twenty one ppsos. They began
work this week. They're aimed at being very visible, helping
to reduce antisocial behavior and strengthen public confidence. How has
that first week gone outstanding?
Speaker 3 (10:57):
So we've got the first in dam We've had the
first hit the road as part of Op Ventura, which
is dedicated and focused into the Palmerston area. The other
seven that have rolled out in dal And have been
doing days and eating shifts across the rest of the
Greater Dalen area, working with all our other policing teams.
Two in Catherine will commence on Monday after they've had
(11:19):
their transfers and downlifts, and the team in Alice Springs
there's six and Alis they will be commencing duty on
Saturday as part of a high visibility set of patrols
at the Ali Springs Show.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
So tell me, what kind of work have the officers
that have already started. What have they been doing? Have
they been tipping out alcohol? What's the guy? Have you
got some numbers for a Stravis can tell you? Here,
give us a snapshot, because I reckon people will be
keen to hear a little bit more about the work
that they do, and we know that really one of
those jobs was going to be making sure that you
know they're going through and really sort of stopping any
(11:56):
of that anti social behavior, I guess before it escalates.
Speaker 3 (11:59):
Indeed, So let's bear in mind that the twenty one
graduated last Friday, and the first set in dah on
the thirteen are here. They all went through their inductions
on Monday. So since then they've been on the road,
so to speak, and specifically that group have done eighty
two reassurance patrols, twenty seven of those considered to be
high visibility foot patrols. They've tipped out one hundred and
(12:22):
twenty seven leaders of alcohol. They've issued thirty two band
drinker orders. They've taken seventeen people into protective custody, arrested
nine others for either offences, warrants, or to sorely behavior,
and they've issued issued nine.
Speaker 2 (12:35):
Some infringement notors.
Speaker 1 (12:36):
So they've been busy.
Speaker 3 (12:38):
They've been busy, they've hit the street. They're doing exactly
what they're design to do. They're there from a public perspective,
dealing with any social behavior, working through what those challenges
and issues look like, and ultimately making that part of
the community safer wherever they're operating well.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
And what's been the feedback then from other police within,
you know, let's say, out in the Palmeston region, in
terms of that load being able to be taken off
them to some degree so that they can do some
of the other jobs that they want to be able
to do.
Speaker 3 (13:05):
So our demand environment in Darwin is still really high.
Nothing but positive. They can see the workforce, can see
what ultimately this preventative policing activity looks like, and it
will take a lot of pressure off our frontline resources
over time. This is only the first thirteen. We've got
another recruit course currently running. They'll graduate on nine September.
(13:28):
Once that team also hits the road, we'll slowly see
this bill. We can continue to recruit, we'll continue to
roll them out and over time over the next probably
eighteen months, to two years, you'll start to see I
would suggest visible differences in relation to the way in
which any social behavior is managed across our Greater daal
In area. It will give our people much greater capacity
(13:48):
to actually move into some of that prevention as opposed
to just constantly reacting to what's happening in the community.
Speaker 1 (13:53):
And just before I let you go, how is Operation
Venturer tracking. I mean you're sort of touched on it
there to some degree with what the work the ppsos
have been up to over the last few days. But
how are things going out there in Palmerston where there
has been that real focus from the police because of
some of the issues that you've been seeing in Palmerston.
Speaker 3 (14:11):
So the general feedback from the community has been great obviously,
I mean some of the feedback was that needed to happen.
There was obviously some concerns around some of the behaviors
that were had been escalating. We obviously saw the crime
stats as well. But the team working not just it's
not just a police team. We've got a multi government
agency approach to what of Ventura is.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
We're using our Darwin Parmers and.
Speaker 3 (14:34):
Lichfield itcg SO interagency tasking Coordination Group to lead this
work so that it's it's if we're interdicting here with
a group of people, then we've got other agencies coming
behind them to help them out. If it's housing, if
it's Services Australia, if it's camping on Crown Land, it's
all those things. We're trying to make sure that it's
(14:55):
not a band aid or superficial.
Speaker 2 (14:56):
It's got some sustainability.
Speaker 3 (14:57):
Sue very important, I think absolutely. Look, let's pick some
highlights here from week six up to week six of
op Ventura, seven hundred and ninety liters of alcohol destroyed, Wow,
ninety nine people arrested, seventy eight people taking into protective custody,
two hundred band drinking orders. We have wandered eight hundred
(15:19):
and forty four people, which has identified twenty four we'll
call them weapons for the sake of this, and issue
twenty nine infringement notices. So interestingly, a lot of those
were done by the PPSAs this week.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
So they're the statistics.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
That's the quantitative. The qualitative is that the feeling Parmeistan
has changed. People feel they feel that the perception of
safety has come back, which is.
Speaker 1 (15:48):
Good and I think that that's absolutely what they want.
I know that the police won't take your foot off
the pedal. You'll be wanting to make sure that it
continues down that path because it is something that people expect,
right They want to see police out on the beat.
They want to be able to see that visual policing,
and I know that our officers aren't able to be everywhere.
Hopefully those ppsos so do help to some degree.
Speaker 3 (16:09):
They'll absolutely help, and as they continue to be recruited,
so that the smiles on the face of the twenty
one that graduated on Friday was outstanding and they are
going to be our most the greatest marketing tool that
we have for all the next recruit courses coming through.
Speaker 2 (16:24):
Watching them get out and do their job. It's good
selling their friends. Yeah, no, good, fantastic.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
Oh well, Travis worse. The Northern Territories Acting Police Commission
are really good to catch up with you this morning.
Thanks so much for your time.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
Thanks Katie, thank you
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