Forty SA Police officers will be deployed to Alice Springs until the end of February. Photo: stock
Forty South Australian police officers are to be deployed to Alice Springs at the request of the Northern Territory (NT) Government.
The first eight-day interstate deployment of 10 officers started today (January 6). The deployments will run until the end of February.
NT Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro endorsed a decision by Police Commissioner Michael Murphy to seek the support of their South Australian colleagues.
“I have always said we will do whatever it takes to keep Territorians safe,” said Finocchiaro.
“We have been explicitly clear that every measure is on the table to make the Territory a safe place. I endorse Commissioner Murphy’s decision to request police from SA.
“This is an opportunity to give our hardworking frontline police some additional support as we continue to put Territorians’ right to be safe at the forefront of everything we do.
“We make no apologies for doing whatever it takes to keep Territorians safe.”
South Australia (SA) Police will send four deployments, each one involving 10 officers, to Alice Springs and the officers will be sworn into the Northern Territory Police Force as special constables.
Each SA officer will be partnered with an NT officer to patrol high harm locations, licensed premises and engage with unaccompanied youths.
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
The SA officers will be drawn from State Operations Support Branch and their deployment will not impact any metropolitan or regional response policing or planned operations, the SA Government said.
Last April, 20 SA police officers deployed to Alice Springs on week-long rotations.
SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said SA police officers have previously been deployed interstate and overseas to assist local police with natural disasters, major public events and large security and policing operations.
“While the deployment comes at a time our resources are under pressure and fully committed with planned operations, I am confident our normal policing activities will not be impacted,” he said.
“We must also be mindful of the fact that we would rightly expect our jurisdictional neighbours to assist us if South Australia required additional support.”
