1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:03,279 Speaker 1: We now know that we've got additional Northern Territory police 2 00:00:03,320 --> 00:00:06,320 Speaker 1: there in Alice Springs working incredibly hard to try to 3 00:00:06,400 --> 00:00:09,080 Speaker 1: keep things under control. Now joining us on the line 4 00:00:09,280 --> 00:00:14,040 Speaker 1: is the Regional Controller for the Emergency Declaration, Assistant Commissioner 5 00:00:14,840 --> 00:00:16,880 Speaker 1: Peter Kennon. Good morning to you, Peter. 6 00:00:17,680 --> 00:00:19,480 Speaker 2: Good morning Katie, Good morning to listeners. 7 00:00:19,480 --> 00:00:21,799 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for your time this morning. Now, 8 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:24,920 Speaker 1: how has that operation been going in Alice Springs over 9 00:00:24,920 --> 00:00:25,800 Speaker 1: the recent days. 10 00:00:26,920 --> 00:00:30,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, Look, we've had people working across the weekend obviously 11 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:35,080 Speaker 2: and working quite closely with our colleagues at churchy, Families, 12 00:00:35,080 --> 00:00:39,000 Speaker 2: Housing and Communities, and that work has been really constructive. 13 00:00:39,600 --> 00:00:44,400 Speaker 2: We've had multiple engagements every night with youth across the 14 00:00:44,400 --> 00:00:51,080 Speaker 2: declared area. They've been very positive interactions and taken a 15 00:00:51,080 --> 00:00:54,160 Speaker 2: lot of kids home and also through the work at 16 00:00:54,200 --> 00:00:58,480 Speaker 2: TFHC have provided quite a bit of support to families 17 00:00:58,720 --> 00:01:02,600 Speaker 2: in the following days. Afterwards, there is I think a 18 00:01:02,680 --> 00:01:05,240 Speaker 2: general calm over the weekend. We are conscious, of course 19 00:01:05,280 --> 00:01:08,440 Speaker 2: that it's been Easter and there's been public holidays and 20 00:01:08,480 --> 00:01:12,400 Speaker 2: so that's affected I guess the regular flower things. So 21 00:01:12,880 --> 00:01:15,880 Speaker 2: we'll look at the early part of this week is 22 00:01:15,920 --> 00:01:18,440 Speaker 2: to the effect of that declared area. 23 00:01:19,040 --> 00:01:22,320 Speaker 1: So, Peter, when you say multiple engagements, like how many 24 00:01:22,319 --> 00:01:24,039 Speaker 1: are we talking most nights? 25 00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:27,360 Speaker 2: So I look, if I look at last night, our 26 00:01:27,400 --> 00:01:31,160 Speaker 2: police officers engaged with thirty four youths and territory families 27 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:34,520 Speaker 2: housing communities engaged with a similar number of thirty five. 28 00:01:34,520 --> 00:01:37,280 Speaker 2: And that's probably been consistent across the weekend with the 29 00:01:37,360 --> 00:01:38,720 Speaker 2: number of youth that we're engaging with. 30 00:01:39,480 --> 00:01:41,959 Speaker 1: And so I guess those questions being asked right now 31 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:45,520 Speaker 1: when those youths are in that curfew area, the police 32 00:01:45,560 --> 00:01:47,120 Speaker 1: picked them up, where do you take them to? Do 33 00:01:47,160 --> 00:01:50,440 Speaker 1: you take them home? Or where exactly do they go? 34 00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:54,120 Speaker 2: So our first step is to speak with the young 35 00:01:54,160 --> 00:01:57,600 Speaker 2: person about what they're doing, and sometimes it's an informative 36 00:01:57,600 --> 00:02:01,320 Speaker 2: piece that despite I think significant efforts that have gone 37 00:02:01,360 --> 00:02:05,960 Speaker 2: into communicating with the public and broadly across Central Australia, 38 00:02:06,440 --> 00:02:09,120 Speaker 2: we still have some young people that aren't aware of 39 00:02:09,240 --> 00:02:11,440 Speaker 2: the curfew and the arrangements in place, and so the 40 00:02:11,440 --> 00:02:15,080 Speaker 2: first step is an informative one. And then you know, 41 00:02:15,120 --> 00:02:18,320 Speaker 2: the young person has the option to leave the area, 42 00:02:18,760 --> 00:02:21,520 Speaker 2: which has happened on a number of occasions, and that's 43 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:24,400 Speaker 2: most of it. And then also if they're unable to 44 00:02:24,440 --> 00:02:28,320 Speaker 2: make their way home. Our officers are available to assist 45 00:02:28,520 --> 00:02:30,480 Speaker 2: the young person home and that's all done by consent 46 00:02:31,400 --> 00:02:35,880 Speaker 2: and also working with our TSHD partners to provide the 47 00:02:35,919 --> 00:02:39,920 Speaker 2: youth transport home. And then on other occasions, you know, 48 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:43,560 Speaker 2: there's responsible adults or identified her the youth are in 49 00:02:43,600 --> 00:02:48,000 Speaker 2: company with who can then further look after the youth. 50 00:02:48,720 --> 00:02:52,600 Speaker 2: And there are occasions where youth have got justifiable reasons 51 00:02:52,639 --> 00:02:54,840 Speaker 2: to be within the declared area. 52 00:02:55,000 --> 00:02:57,799 Speaker 1: What happens if they don't consent to being taken home 53 00:02:58,120 --> 00:03:00,959 Speaker 1: or going with the police you know territory families to 54 00:03:01,320 --> 00:03:02,840 Speaker 1: get out of the curfew zine. 55 00:03:03,600 --> 00:03:06,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, So in those instances our officers do have the 56 00:03:06,240 --> 00:03:10,799 Speaker 2: power then to remove the young people yep. And that's 57 00:03:11,080 --> 00:03:15,600 Speaker 2: obviously a situational last resort, but that we can, yeah, 58 00:03:15,680 --> 00:03:18,079 Speaker 2: forcibly remove a young person from the area and take 59 00:03:18,120 --> 00:03:21,239 Speaker 2: them to a safe place. We haven't had to use 60 00:03:21,320 --> 00:03:23,840 Speaker 2: any of the declared safe places. We've been managed to 61 00:03:23,880 --> 00:03:26,600 Speaker 2: take all the youth home to somewhere where someone is 62 00:03:26,639 --> 00:03:27,720 Speaker 2: able to take care of them. 63 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:31,800 Speaker 1: How big a difference has having that curfew in place 64 00:03:31,919 --> 00:03:34,800 Speaker 1: made to the Northern Territory Police. Has it been like 65 00:03:34,880 --> 00:03:37,440 Speaker 1: are you guys seeing it as quite a positive move? 66 00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:44,800 Speaker 2: I think it's it's certainly what the community expected something 67 00:03:44,840 --> 00:03:50,720 Speaker 2: after I guess the last few weeks increasing any social 68 00:03:50,760 --> 00:03:54,440 Speaker 2: and disorderly conduct within the CBD. So we're obviously quite 69 00:03:54,480 --> 00:03:57,960 Speaker 2: responsive to the needs of the community. I think you 70 00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:00,320 Speaker 2: know has been referred to that this can't be seen 71 00:04:00,320 --> 00:04:04,119 Speaker 2: as and all the time thing. It's incredibly resource intensive, 72 00:04:04,160 --> 00:04:06,240 Speaker 2: and so what we need to look at and what 73 00:04:06,240 --> 00:04:09,040 Speaker 2: we have been doing is what things look like after this, 74 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:12,600 Speaker 2: I guess surge of resources into our springs and certainly 75 00:04:12,920 --> 00:04:16,800 Speaker 2: across government government apartments. We are working on what our 76 00:04:16,839 --> 00:04:21,080 Speaker 2: future position will be in terms of providing an ongoing 77 00:04:21,120 --> 00:04:23,560 Speaker 2: enhanced response that can be resourced. 78 00:04:24,080 --> 00:04:26,120 Speaker 1: Peter, tell us a little bit more about you know, 79 00:04:26,160 --> 00:04:28,599 Speaker 1: you said then that surge and resources. How many officers 80 00:04:28,640 --> 00:04:31,040 Speaker 1: have you got sort of additional at the moment in Alice. 81 00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:33,320 Speaker 1: How's it been going with those extra offices. 82 00:04:35,440 --> 00:04:39,320 Speaker 2: I haven't got a firm number for you. Our resources 83 00:04:39,360 --> 00:04:42,920 Speaker 2: move around and we do reposition them where needs are required. 84 00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:46,760 Speaker 2: But we have had sixty around that number initially deploy 85 00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:49,039 Speaker 2: prior to the weekend and have been working across the 86 00:04:49,040 --> 00:04:53,240 Speaker 2: weekend and the large numbers of them have been put 87 00:04:53,880 --> 00:04:55,800 Speaker 2: on duty through the hours of darkness, and that's when 88 00:04:55,839 --> 00:04:58,200 Speaker 2: our work is. We've still got some working during the 89 00:04:58,279 --> 00:05:03,320 Speaker 2: daylight hours, mostly focused around the declared area, but also 90 00:05:03,440 --> 00:05:06,920 Speaker 2: more broadly across Alice Springs. I think there was some 91 00:05:06,960 --> 00:05:09,720 Speaker 2: early commentary on the weekend which might have misunderstood that 92 00:05:09,720 --> 00:05:12,400 Speaker 2: we're only focusing on the CBD, but of course we 93 00:05:12,400 --> 00:05:14,440 Speaker 2: look across Alice Springs. I mean, we're very conscious of 94 00:05:14,480 --> 00:05:18,919 Speaker 2: that effect of displacement. That's something that we're well aware 95 00:05:18,920 --> 00:05:22,400 Speaker 2: of in our business and certainly work to minimize wherever 96 00:05:22,400 --> 00:05:22,680 Speaker 2: we can. 97 00:05:22,880 --> 00:05:24,560 Speaker 1: Yeah, I was keen to find out. I mean, have 98 00:05:24,680 --> 00:05:27,479 Speaker 1: you had a bit of a spy in areas outside 99 00:05:27,520 --> 00:05:28,680 Speaker 1: the curfew zone? 100 00:05:29,640 --> 00:05:33,359 Speaker 2: Not not that we've Yeah, not that's coming up in 101 00:05:33,400 --> 00:05:36,799 Speaker 2: our I guess our jobs that we're seeing. We haven't 102 00:05:36,800 --> 00:05:43,120 Speaker 2: seen this massive rise of criminal criminal conduct. There's still 103 00:05:43,200 --> 00:05:46,800 Speaker 2: been things going on, but not that's been significant in 104 00:05:46,960 --> 00:05:51,400 Speaker 2: terms of you know, our regular jobs that come in. 105 00:05:52,080 --> 00:05:55,279 Speaker 1: Now. Tell me as well, are you like how the 106 00:05:55,360 --> 00:05:57,840 Speaker 1: pally's going outside the bottle shops? Have you found that 107 00:05:57,839 --> 00:06:00,440 Speaker 1: that's have things sort of calmed down a little bit 108 00:06:00,480 --> 00:06:03,000 Speaker 1: in terms of alcohol related crime? 109 00:06:04,960 --> 00:06:09,560 Speaker 2: Yeah? So obviously across the weekend there's reduced opening hours anyway, 110 00:06:09,640 --> 00:06:13,000 Speaker 2: So and then also further today locally in our springs 111 00:06:13,000 --> 00:06:16,040 Speaker 2: that take away alcohol isn't available. So I think we're 112 00:06:16,040 --> 00:06:18,279 Speaker 2: really going to get a sense of that probably after 113 00:06:18,360 --> 00:06:21,920 Speaker 2: today with going back to some more regular trading hours. 114 00:06:22,160 --> 00:06:24,839 Speaker 2: But I just probably for you and your listeners, I 115 00:06:24,839 --> 00:06:27,159 Speaker 2: think it's often referred to around the palis and like 116 00:06:27,240 --> 00:06:30,760 Speaker 2: that's a police axiliary liquor inspector. And you'd be aware 117 00:06:30,800 --> 00:06:34,160 Speaker 2: that a number of weeks ago we've transitioned a lot 118 00:06:34,200 --> 00:06:38,119 Speaker 2: of our former palies are on a program to become 119 00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:41,000 Speaker 2: constable so that their recruit constables, the officers that have 120 00:06:41,080 --> 00:06:43,320 Speaker 2: been posted down to DAR and have taken up the 121 00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:46,839 Speaker 2: point of sale intervention position within our springs. And so 122 00:06:46,880 --> 00:06:48,920 Speaker 2: in terms of actual numbers, we've actually only got a 123 00:06:48,920 --> 00:06:52,520 Speaker 2: handful of police acxiliary liquor inspectors, but we're resourcing our 124 00:06:52,520 --> 00:06:54,760 Speaker 2: springs at the moment at that point of sale intervention 125 00:06:55,160 --> 00:06:56,440 Speaker 2: with our recruit constables. 126 00:06:56,640 --> 00:06:59,320 Speaker 1: Okay, so they're back in there obviously doing that doing 127 00:06:59,360 --> 00:07:03,640 Speaker 1: that role. So I do want to just ask and look, 128 00:07:03,680 --> 00:07:05,320 Speaker 1: I don't know whether you've got much info on this, 129 00:07:05,400 --> 00:07:07,200 Speaker 1: but we have just had a pressure as come through 130 00:07:07,240 --> 00:07:10,280 Speaker 1: from the police saying that there was multiple Well, you've 131 00:07:10,360 --> 00:07:13,040 Speaker 1: arrested multiple offenders in relation to the burglary of a 132 00:07:13,080 --> 00:07:16,480 Speaker 1: camping store in Alice Springs last week. So apparently on Friday, 133 00:07:16,800 --> 00:07:20,480 Speaker 1: up to eight offenders unlawfully entered a camping store stealing 134 00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:25,360 Speaker 1: a large quantity of hunting equipment and cash. Pete, I'm 135 00:07:25,400 --> 00:07:27,119 Speaker 1: not sure whether you have a huge amount of infol 136 00:07:27,120 --> 00:07:30,200 Speaker 1: on that as the regional controller for the emergency declaration, 137 00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:31,880 Speaker 1: but I know that it's something that I'm sure people 138 00:07:31,880 --> 00:07:34,760 Speaker 1: would probably be pretty concerned about. Yeah. 139 00:07:34,800 --> 00:07:37,480 Speaker 2: Sure, and look, we're extremely concerned. There was a couple 140 00:07:37,520 --> 00:07:41,160 Speaker 2: of crossbows and bolts stolen from the camping store, as 141 00:07:41,160 --> 00:07:44,080 Speaker 2: well as a whole bunch of nives and as you 142 00:07:44,120 --> 00:07:46,080 Speaker 2: point out, cash. So yeah, our offic has it been 143 00:07:46,080 --> 00:07:49,360 Speaker 2: working across the weekend on that, detectives from both Operation 144 00:07:49,560 --> 00:07:54,560 Speaker 2: Viper and our Criminal Investigation branch locally, so there's been 145 00:07:54,600 --> 00:07:57,040 Speaker 2: a couple of search for it's conducted different premises over 146 00:07:57,080 --> 00:07:59,760 Speaker 2: the weekend, with the recovery of both crossbows, a number 147 00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:03,560 Speaker 2: of and some bolts, and so we're you know, we're 148 00:08:03,600 --> 00:08:06,400 Speaker 2: pretty pleased with that in terms of getting that potential 149 00:08:06,440 --> 00:08:10,960 Speaker 2: harm out of the community. We've also arrested a twelve 150 00:08:11,040 --> 00:08:16,120 Speaker 2: year old male, a thirteen year old male, sorry sorry, 151 00:08:16,520 --> 00:08:18,160 Speaker 2: a fourteen year old mail, an eighteen year old male, 152 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:20,200 Speaker 2: and a twenty one year old male in relation to 153 00:08:20,240 --> 00:08:23,600 Speaker 2: the incident. And we've got a identified a seventeen seventeen 154 00:08:23,640 --> 00:08:27,760 Speaker 2: year old male in relation to it, who we're actively 155 00:08:27,760 --> 00:08:28,680 Speaker 2: pursuing at the moment. 156 00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:30,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, good work by the Territory Police being able to 157 00:08:30,960 --> 00:08:34,240 Speaker 1: apprehend those people, because you're not certainly not anything that 158 00:08:34,280 --> 00:08:38,120 Speaker 1: anyone wants to have those to have those different weapons out, 159 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:41,439 Speaker 1: you know, at large, I spose. 160 00:08:42,360 --> 00:08:46,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, absolutely, so we're absolutely stoked that we've recovered those 161 00:08:46,200 --> 00:08:48,520 Speaker 2: and look, that's down to the dedicated work of our 162 00:08:48,559 --> 00:08:52,000 Speaker 2: officers who've worked across the weekend to pursue that investigation 163 00:08:52,080 --> 00:08:53,199 Speaker 2: and recover those items. 164 00:08:53,400 --> 00:08:56,319 Speaker 1: Well, Assistant Commissioner Peter Cannon, we really appreciate your time 165 00:08:56,360 --> 00:08:58,520 Speaker 1: this morning. I've no doubt it's been a very busy 166 00:08:58,679 --> 00:09:02,000 Speaker 1: few days and we'll remain that way. It's looking like 167 00:09:02,040 --> 00:09:04,600 Speaker 1: that curfew is going to wind up Wednesday next week, 168 00:09:04,679 --> 00:09:06,520 Speaker 1: but I guess there's going to be quite a bit 169 00:09:06,559 --> 00:09:08,880 Speaker 1: of work, or quite a bit of information gathering I 170 00:09:08,920 --> 00:09:11,920 Speaker 1: would suspect over the coming days to see whether it 171 00:09:11,920 --> 00:09:14,280 Speaker 1: needs to be extended till the end of the school holidays. 172 00:09:15,520 --> 00:09:18,640 Speaker 2: Yeah. Look and Northern Territory government agencies are working together 173 00:09:19,760 --> 00:09:25,120 Speaker 2: across the coming days for strategies going forward after the 174 00:09:25,120 --> 00:09:26,840 Speaker 2: emergency situation thesis. 175 00:09:27,120 --> 00:09:29,520 Speaker 1: Well, we really appreciate your time this morning, Peter, thanks 176 00:09:29,559 --> 00:09:32,360 Speaker 1: so much for joining us on the show, and well 177 00:09:32,360 --> 00:09:35,080 Speaker 1: done to all the Northern Territory Police working incredibly hard, 178 00:09:35,120 --> 00:09:39,200 Speaker 1: particularly right now in Alice. Thanks Katie, having great Thank 179 00:09:39,240 --> 00:09:39,840 Speaker 1: you you too.