1 00:00:00,360 --> 00:00:03,000 Speaker 1: Now we know that our Aboriginal Liaison officers, they are 2 00:00:03,000 --> 00:00:05,760 Speaker 1: a really important part of the Northern Territories Police Force, 3 00:00:06,240 --> 00:00:09,440 Speaker 1: a role which does help to provide expertise across the 4 00:00:09,480 --> 00:00:13,080 Speaker 1: force and also support a focus on real, proactive and 5 00:00:13,200 --> 00:00:16,880 Speaker 1: inclusive engagement within the Northern Territories community. Now, I know 6 00:00:16,920 --> 00:00:19,520 Speaker 1: that there's probably plenty of people out there wondering exactly 7 00:00:19,560 --> 00:00:22,400 Speaker 1: what they do, how it all works, and we do 8 00:00:22,480 --> 00:00:25,680 Speaker 1: know that the Northern Territory Police are currently recruiting more 9 00:00:26,160 --> 00:00:29,560 Speaker 1: of our wonderful Aboriginal Liaison officers. And joining me in 10 00:00:29,600 --> 00:00:31,480 Speaker 1: the studio to tell us a little bit more about 11 00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:34,960 Speaker 1: what they do is Karen Eleigert, who is the Executive 12 00:00:35,040 --> 00:00:40,320 Speaker 1: Director of Community Resilience and Engagement. Good morning to you, Karen. 13 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:41,919 Speaker 2: Good morning Katie, thanks for having me on. 14 00:00:42,120 --> 00:00:44,960 Speaker 1: Lovely to have you in the studio. Firstly, Karen, tell 15 00:00:45,040 --> 00:00:47,239 Speaker 1: us a little bit more about the work that the 16 00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:48,919 Speaker 1: Aboriginal Liaison officers do. 17 00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:54,080 Speaker 2: Say Katie. Their Aboriginal Liaison officers are a try service 18 00:00:54,200 --> 00:00:59,720 Speaker 2: public servant role. Say. While their focus is in romte 19 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:03,560 Speaker 2: looking really closely and being supervised by the officers in 20 00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:08,199 Speaker 2: charge of those remote stations. The aim is to over 21 00:01:08,280 --> 00:01:11,919 Speaker 2: time develop and skill the alos up to be able 22 00:01:11,959 --> 00:01:16,960 Speaker 2: to assist and work with the agency in emergency management, 23 00:01:17,400 --> 00:01:20,840 Speaker 2: in bush fire management. So really really take advantage of 24 00:01:21,400 --> 00:01:24,600 Speaker 2: their ability to be on the ground in their own communities. 25 00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:28,039 Speaker 1: Yeah, right, And so are they just based in communities 26 00:01:28,040 --> 00:01:30,240 Speaker 1: at the moment or do we see them around Darwin 27 00:01:30,360 --> 00:01:31,880 Speaker 1: and everywhere where? Are they so? 28 00:01:32,080 --> 00:01:36,240 Speaker 2: At the moment, Katie, we have Aboriginal liaison officers across 29 00:01:36,280 --> 00:01:40,600 Speaker 2: the territory. We have a team in Alice Springs, a 30 00:01:40,680 --> 00:01:45,320 Speaker 2: team in Yu and Demu, what I Kintaur, Tenant Creek, Galiwinku, 31 00:01:45,560 --> 00:01:52,520 Speaker 2: La Jamanu, Barolula, Daily River, Timber Creek, Hearts Range, Warremanga, Sana, Theresa, 32 00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:56,440 Speaker 2: and Maningrida. We do have one ALO officer that is 33 00:01:56,720 --> 00:01:59,320 Speaker 2: in my team here in Darwin as well and. 34 00:01:59,320 --> 00:02:02,360 Speaker 1: Current how do you find, like, particularly when you're out 35 00:02:02,360 --> 00:02:04,920 Speaker 1: in some of those communities and well all around the 36 00:02:04,920 --> 00:02:09,919 Speaker 1: Northern territory, how do you find those Aboriginal liaison officers 37 00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:12,240 Speaker 1: sort of help to you know, to make sure that 38 00:02:12,240 --> 00:02:14,720 Speaker 1: that I suppose that that relationship between the police and 39 00:02:14,760 --> 00:02:16,079 Speaker 1: the community is a really good one. 40 00:02:16,440 --> 00:02:20,600 Speaker 2: So the Aboriginal liaison officers are recruited because of their 41 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:26,200 Speaker 2: cultural expertise and their ability to understand and work within 42 00:02:26,280 --> 00:02:30,800 Speaker 2: their own communities. So their local recruits from within their communities, 43 00:02:31,320 --> 00:02:35,600 Speaker 2: they really have to go through quite a rigorous application 44 00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:40,440 Speaker 2: process to become an ALO. They need to be endorsed 45 00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:45,160 Speaker 2: and recognized from their community as a suitable applicant, somebody 46 00:02:45,200 --> 00:02:49,560 Speaker 2: that is a good ambassador and can represent their community appropriately. 47 00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:53,200 Speaker 2: They need to be endorsed by the traditional owners and 48 00:02:53,240 --> 00:02:56,840 Speaker 2: cultural elders of the community. And they also need to 49 00:02:57,080 --> 00:03:00,680 Speaker 2: be endorsed and comfortable with the officer in charge of 50 00:03:00,720 --> 00:03:04,120 Speaker 2: the community. Now, when we get to that stage, my team, 51 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:08,800 Speaker 2: which is the Community Resilience and Engagement Command, I have 52 00:03:08,880 --> 00:03:12,800 Speaker 2: a number of sworn staff in the team, Aboriginal police 53 00:03:12,840 --> 00:03:16,000 Speaker 2: officers as well as public servants. We then go to 54 00:03:16,120 --> 00:03:20,480 Speaker 2: meet in community with those potential ALO applicants just to 55 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:24,600 Speaker 2: talk them through the roles and responsibilities and make sure 56 00:03:24,639 --> 00:03:26,200 Speaker 2: that they're the right fit for the role. 57 00:03:26,400 --> 00:03:28,400 Speaker 1: Yeah right, It sounds like there's actually quite a bit 58 00:03:28,480 --> 00:03:30,760 Speaker 1: that goes on behind the scenes before you can actually 59 00:03:30,760 --> 00:03:33,720 Speaker 1: be appointed as an ALO. How many have we got 60 00:03:33,760 --> 00:03:34,320 Speaker 1: at the moment. 61 00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:37,840 Speaker 2: So at the moment, Katie, we've recruited thirty five original 62 00:03:37,920 --> 00:03:43,280 Speaker 2: liason officers since late October last year. We are actively 63 00:03:43,440 --> 00:03:46,760 Speaker 2: recruiting now, so we've never had to advertise. It's really 64 00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:50,840 Speaker 2: linking in and working with community to make sure that 65 00:03:50,920 --> 00:03:54,600 Speaker 2: they have the right people for the roles. We are 66 00:03:54,680 --> 00:03:58,120 Speaker 2: having another course that's coming up in late March that'll 67 00:03:58,160 --> 00:04:02,320 Speaker 2: go through to April. We're actively always looking for the 68 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:04,040 Speaker 2: right people in their community. 69 00:04:04,280 --> 00:04:06,600 Speaker 1: So thirty five right now, but you are about to 70 00:04:07,160 --> 00:04:10,720 Speaker 1: do that additional course so April, as you just said there, 71 00:04:11,200 --> 00:04:12,880 Speaker 1: so what you know, who are you looking for and 72 00:04:12,920 --> 00:04:15,000 Speaker 1: are you looking for anybody that's sort of based in 73 00:04:15,120 --> 00:04:18,960 Speaker 1: Darwin or are you out head hunting people? How's it work? 74 00:04:19,120 --> 00:04:22,599 Speaker 2: So we've already got several applicants from across the territory. 75 00:04:23,440 --> 00:04:29,080 Speaker 2: They are from areas that we haven't recruited from previously. 76 00:04:29,760 --> 00:04:34,000 Speaker 2: We've also got a number of people who want to 77 00:04:34,040 --> 00:04:37,200 Speaker 2: be Alo's when the time is right for them. There 78 00:04:37,240 --> 00:04:41,640 Speaker 2: are people that are family members of the Aboriginal community 79 00:04:41,720 --> 00:04:45,880 Speaker 2: police officers for instance, those kids coming up through their 80 00:04:45,920 --> 00:04:49,040 Speaker 2: community that really aspire to be part of the Northern 81 00:04:49,120 --> 00:04:53,280 Speaker 2: Territory Police, Fire and Emergency services. So we have an 82 00:04:53,320 --> 00:04:57,120 Speaker 2: active waiting list, but we also have several applications At 83 00:04:57,160 --> 00:05:00,880 Speaker 2: the moment, we have got a few hour applications from 84 00:05:00,920 --> 00:05:05,920 Speaker 2: the Baggett community in Darwin, which is fantastic. The mixture 85 00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:09,159 Speaker 2: of the age demographics is both young and old. We 86 00:05:09,279 --> 00:05:11,279 Speaker 2: have a lot of young people who are keen to 87 00:05:11,400 --> 00:05:15,280 Speaker 2: join us, but we also have employed currently a number 88 00:05:15,279 --> 00:05:19,520 Speaker 2: of older people who really have that cultural authority within 89 00:05:19,560 --> 00:05:25,080 Speaker 2: their communities. Most of the alos that we recruit talking language, 90 00:05:25,120 --> 00:05:29,479 Speaker 2: which is really really integral in that community engagement role 91 00:05:29,520 --> 00:05:33,240 Speaker 2: that they play, and they really have that cultural authority 92 00:05:33,279 --> 00:05:37,480 Speaker 2: to be able to represent their community, make decisions with 93 00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:41,479 Speaker 2: their community elders, and really be that linkage between their 94 00:05:41,480 --> 00:05:43,719 Speaker 2: community and the police within their community. 95 00:05:43,880 --> 00:05:46,240 Speaker 1: Have you found it like, how have you found that 96 00:05:46,279 --> 00:05:50,080 Speaker 1: those officers have gone since you know, since commencing October 97 00:05:50,160 --> 00:05:52,320 Speaker 1: last year and since sort of starting in some of 98 00:05:52,320 --> 00:05:53,719 Speaker 1: those communities, what's it been like? 99 00:05:54,520 --> 00:05:58,480 Speaker 2: It has been challenging for some others. We have some 100 00:05:58,720 --> 00:06:03,120 Speaker 2: really amazing people that have embraced the role and actively 101 00:06:03,200 --> 00:06:07,400 Speaker 2: led a lot of community engagement activities. We've got one 102 00:06:07,440 --> 00:06:11,440 Speaker 2: of our alos, for instance, in Elliott, who is actively 103 00:06:11,520 --> 00:06:14,440 Speaker 2: engaged with the school there. He makes it his business 104 00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:17,520 Speaker 2: to go around every morning and pick up all the 105 00:06:17,560 --> 00:06:21,200 Speaker 2: sleepy head kids and take them to school. We have 106 00:06:21,400 --> 00:06:26,719 Speaker 2: another ALO in Daily River. He recently set up a 107 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:31,320 Speaker 2: community funday for his whole community. He pretty much initiated 108 00:06:31,360 --> 00:06:34,880 Speaker 2: that off his own back. We had the police horses 109 00:06:34,920 --> 00:06:37,880 Speaker 2: there and the police dogs. We set up like a 110 00:06:38,080 --> 00:06:42,160 Speaker 2: water slide and just a barbecue, so really linking into 111 00:06:42,320 --> 00:06:47,000 Speaker 2: community those efforts. We're really looking for people who are 112 00:06:47,040 --> 00:06:52,200 Speaker 2: passionate about making a difference in their community, who understand 113 00:06:52,520 --> 00:06:56,239 Speaker 2: the role that the police, foreign emergency services can play 114 00:06:56,320 --> 00:06:59,800 Speaker 2: to make a difference in their community. Really looking for 115 00:06:59,800 --> 00:07:03,080 Speaker 2: people who want to step up. There is also a 116 00:07:03,120 --> 00:07:07,960 Speaker 2: career path that my team has mapped out for the alos. 117 00:07:08,040 --> 00:07:11,880 Speaker 2: So we have a number of Aboriginal liaison officers currently 118 00:07:12,800 --> 00:07:16,720 Speaker 2: that have applied to be Aboriginal Community police officers. So 119 00:07:16,800 --> 00:07:20,720 Speaker 2: we're just waiting to see how they go. And then 120 00:07:20,840 --> 00:07:24,600 Speaker 2: we have a number of obviously acpos that are ready 121 00:07:24,640 --> 00:07:27,320 Speaker 2: to transition into the constable stream. 122 00:07:27,440 --> 00:07:29,000 Speaker 1: So I think I met one of them a couple 123 00:07:29,040 --> 00:07:30,720 Speaker 1: of weeks ago. She was a great young woman. 124 00:07:30,840 --> 00:07:33,720 Speaker 2: Yes, and there's a lot of enthusiasm, a lot of 125 00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:39,119 Speaker 2: passion across our agency to work with the alos, grow 126 00:07:39,200 --> 00:07:42,480 Speaker 2: them as a really key resource in our team, and 127 00:07:42,600 --> 00:07:46,360 Speaker 2: really the opportunities and the role of an ALO is 128 00:07:46,440 --> 00:07:50,000 Speaker 2: quite endless. It's something we're really passionate about, Karen. 129 00:07:50,040 --> 00:07:51,880 Speaker 1: Where can people go, well, how can they find out 130 00:07:51,880 --> 00:07:53,920 Speaker 1: a little bit more information If they are listening this 131 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:56,240 Speaker 1: morning and think I know the perfect person or I 132 00:07:56,280 --> 00:07:58,040 Speaker 1: am the perfect person for this job. 133 00:07:58,200 --> 00:08:01,640 Speaker 2: Say, any potential ALI Katie that would like to get 134 00:08:01,680 --> 00:08:04,280 Speaker 2: in touch with us can call my team on eight 135 00:08:04,400 --> 00:08:08,520 Speaker 2: nine eight five seven zero two six or eight nine 136 00:08:08,720 --> 00:08:12,760 Speaker 2: eight five eight nine zero nine. My team is really 137 00:08:12,800 --> 00:08:18,080 Speaker 2: there to mentor support and guide prospective alos, but also 138 00:08:18,200 --> 00:08:22,080 Speaker 2: the existing alos. We provide a lot of mentoring. We 139 00:08:22,240 --> 00:08:25,080 Speaker 2: help them with their day to day challenges. A lot 140 00:08:25,080 --> 00:08:29,280 Speaker 2: of the alos live really really complex lives and absolute 141 00:08:29,360 --> 00:08:32,360 Speaker 2: credit to them that they're able to come into work 142 00:08:32,400 --> 00:08:36,360 Speaker 2: every day. They live and work in two worlds really, 143 00:08:36,880 --> 00:08:41,880 Speaker 2: and they're able to represent their community professionally and really 144 00:08:41,920 --> 00:08:44,280 Speaker 2: dig in and work with us when the times are tough. 145 00:08:44,480 --> 00:08:46,280 Speaker 1: Oh good stuff. Well, I think it sounds like a 146 00:08:46,320 --> 00:08:49,160 Speaker 1: really good thing, and particularly like you were saying, they're 147 00:08:49,160 --> 00:08:51,839 Speaker 1: how one of those alos in the community picking the 148 00:08:51,920 --> 00:08:53,679 Speaker 1: kids up for school and stuff like that, and it 149 00:08:53,720 --> 00:08:56,440 Speaker 1: really sort of changes. I think that relationship with the 150 00:08:56,480 --> 00:09:00,680 Speaker 1: police and children or really promotes that good relationship with 151 00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:03,800 Speaker 1: the territory police and with the children in the community, 152 00:09:03,800 --> 00:09:05,160 Speaker 1: which is hopefully a really good thing. 153 00:09:05,240 --> 00:09:05,440 Speaker 2: Yeah. 154 00:09:05,440 --> 00:09:08,440 Speaker 1: Absolutely, Karen, lovely to speak with you this morning. I 155 00:09:08,480 --> 00:09:10,640 Speaker 1: really appreciate your time and appreciate you coming in and 156 00:09:10,640 --> 00:09:11,400 Speaker 1: telling us a bit. 157 00:09:11,240 --> 00:09:12,000 Speaker 2: More about all of that. 158 00:09:12,520 --> 00:09:12,960 Speaker 1: Thank you.