1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:03,120 Speaker 1: Joining me in the studio right now is the commander 2 00:00:03,120 --> 00:00:05,080 Speaker 1: of Darwin and Road Policing, Matt Holland b. 3 00:00:05,240 --> 00:00:05,960 Speaker 2: Good morning to you. 4 00:00:06,040 --> 00:00:07,960 Speaker 3: Yeah, good morning, Katie, and good morning to your listeners. 5 00:00:08,360 --> 00:00:10,319 Speaker 1: Thanks so much for your time this morning, Matt. I 6 00:00:10,360 --> 00:00:14,560 Speaker 1: know that it was a terrible weekend on the road 7 00:00:14,720 --> 00:00:18,640 Speaker 1: over the weekend with the death of a teenager in Wallagi. 8 00:00:19,239 --> 00:00:21,439 Speaker 1: Is there much of an update in this space. 9 00:00:22,200 --> 00:00:25,120 Speaker 4: Yeah, Look, Katie, it's a tragedy. A young man has 10 00:00:25,160 --> 00:00:30,000 Speaker 4: lost his life and obviously his family a grieving and 11 00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:32,640 Speaker 4: we saw that through the media and they agree for 12 00:00:32,680 --> 00:00:35,000 Speaker 4: the rest of their lives. So it's really really sad. 13 00:00:35,720 --> 00:00:38,040 Speaker 4: There's been twenty five people now that have died on 14 00:00:38,080 --> 00:00:41,319 Speaker 4: our roads in the Northern Territory compared to seventeen at 15 00:00:41,320 --> 00:00:42,440 Speaker 4: the same time last year. 16 00:00:42,560 --> 00:00:43,960 Speaker 3: But you know, they are numbers. 17 00:00:44,040 --> 00:00:47,519 Speaker 4: It doesn't really take into account the tragedy of the 18 00:00:47,560 --> 00:00:48,639 Speaker 4: young man that's died. 19 00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:51,159 Speaker 1: And that's one of the things that I think, you know, 20 00:00:51,320 --> 00:00:54,840 Speaker 1: very often you sort of talk about the rate of 21 00:00:54,880 --> 00:00:58,480 Speaker 1: death on our roads, but when somebody passes away as 22 00:00:58,520 --> 00:01:02,920 Speaker 1: a result of a rible incident like that, it actually 23 00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:06,920 Speaker 1: impacts so broadly the whole community. You know, even today 24 00:01:07,560 --> 00:01:10,560 Speaker 1: the school making sure that they rally around those young 25 00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:12,680 Speaker 1: people at that school who are going to be hurting 26 00:01:12,720 --> 00:01:13,520 Speaker 1: for a long time. 27 00:01:14,040 --> 00:01:16,240 Speaker 4: Yeah, and look, I think we all know somebody who's 28 00:01:16,280 --> 00:01:20,760 Speaker 4: died in a car crash. And for those people that 29 00:01:20,800 --> 00:01:23,440 Speaker 4: have got close family members who've died in a car crash, 30 00:01:24,080 --> 00:01:26,800 Speaker 4: they will never forget those people. And that's part of 31 00:01:26,840 --> 00:01:28,920 Speaker 4: the tragedy of it that it's not it doesn't just 32 00:01:28,959 --> 00:01:32,520 Speaker 4: affect one person or one family. It's right across the 33 00:01:32,520 --> 00:01:35,960 Speaker 4: community and it's long lasting too. Well. 34 00:01:35,959 --> 00:01:38,360 Speaker 1: Look, there has been quite a bit happening around the 35 00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:40,520 Speaker 1: place as well in recent weeks. The last time you're 36 00:01:40,520 --> 00:01:42,640 Speaker 1: in the studio, you and I were talking about some 37 00:01:42,680 --> 00:01:45,760 Speaker 1: of the issues that well, some of our business people 38 00:01:45,760 --> 00:01:49,000 Speaker 1: were seeing in the city with young people not necessarily 39 00:01:49,040 --> 00:01:52,440 Speaker 1: breaking the law, but not behaving very well either. I 40 00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:56,480 Speaker 1: know that that there was certainly some work done by 41 00:01:56,520 --> 00:01:59,320 Speaker 1: the Northern Territory Police in an effort to really combat 42 00:01:59,360 --> 00:01:59,600 Speaker 1: some of this. 43 00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:02,160 Speaker 2: Behave you can you tell us exactly what it happens. 44 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:06,120 Speaker 4: Last weekend, not the one just gone on last weekend, 45 00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:12,120 Speaker 4: the one before we conducted a youth operation across Darwin 46 00:02:12,280 --> 00:02:16,160 Speaker 4: and Casuarina and we identified. I think it was forty 47 00:02:16,240 --> 00:02:19,840 Speaker 4: youth all up that were out and about at times 48 00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:21,799 Speaker 4: of the night that perhaps they shouldn't have been. 49 00:02:22,919 --> 00:02:25,079 Speaker 3: We engage with those youths. In some cases we took 50 00:02:25,120 --> 00:02:25,799 Speaker 3: them home. 51 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:30,760 Speaker 4: And in appropriate cases we also made referrals to territory 52 00:02:30,800 --> 00:02:34,720 Speaker 4: families and also to the Department of Education. These kids 53 00:02:34,800 --> 00:02:37,799 Speaker 4: are the ones that aren't going to school. There are 54 00:02:38,320 --> 00:02:39,960 Speaker 4: it's not all of them, it's just some of them. 55 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:42,640 Speaker 4: But there are questions that need to be asked as 56 00:02:42,680 --> 00:02:44,800 Speaker 4: to why they aren't going to school, why they aren't 57 00:02:44,800 --> 00:02:48,160 Speaker 4: being educated and making a better life for themselves into 58 00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:48,600 Speaker 4: the future. 59 00:02:48,720 --> 00:02:49,960 Speaker 2: I reckon that's a really good point. 60 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:51,920 Speaker 1: That's something that you had made last time you're on 61 00:02:51,960 --> 00:02:53,760 Speaker 1: the show as well, to say that it has to 62 00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:55,640 Speaker 1: be sort of a whole of government approach. It's got 63 00:02:55,680 --> 00:02:58,240 Speaker 1: to be everybody working together to make sure that we're 64 00:02:58,280 --> 00:03:00,960 Speaker 1: not in a situation where kids who shouldn't. 65 00:03:00,520 --> 00:03:02,120 Speaker 2: Be out on the street, you know. 66 00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:05,519 Speaker 1: In the late hours of the night that were actually 67 00:03:05,639 --> 00:03:08,200 Speaker 1: you know, working out why they're out there, stopping them 68 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:10,560 Speaker 1: from obviously being out there. But that's not always a 69 00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:12,359 Speaker 1: job only for the police. 70 00:03:12,720 --> 00:03:15,400 Speaker 3: Well, it's not only a job for the government. Either. 71 00:03:15,440 --> 00:03:20,200 Speaker 4: I mean it's you know, parents raise children, parents and guardians, 72 00:03:20,280 --> 00:03:24,440 Speaker 4: and they have a key responsibility to raise their children 73 00:03:24,480 --> 00:03:28,040 Speaker 4: in a proper manner. And the ones that aren't gone 74 00:03:28,040 --> 00:03:30,320 Speaker 4: to school and are wondering the streets, they obviously need 75 00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:34,440 Speaker 4: some help, and that's where we can intervene and provide 76 00:03:34,480 --> 00:03:35,080 Speaker 4: some assistance. 77 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:37,400 Speaker 1: Now, I know last week then obviously with the lockdown, 78 00:03:37,400 --> 00:03:40,640 Speaker 1: it probably means that things certainly quieten down a little 79 00:03:40,640 --> 00:03:45,600 Speaker 1: bit in different ways, but there was still well. This 80 00:03:45,640 --> 00:03:48,480 Speaker 1: week then we have seen that there was a terrible incident. 81 00:03:48,520 --> 00:03:52,320 Speaker 1: Actually yesterday, a sixteen year old male has been arrested 82 00:03:52,400 --> 00:03:56,760 Speaker 1: by Strikeforce Trident yesterday afternoon. I understand because at about 83 00:03:56,800 --> 00:04:00,400 Speaker 1: two point fifteen in the RVO police received reports fourteen 84 00:04:00,480 --> 00:04:03,120 Speaker 1: year old male have been assaulted near the shopping center 85 00:04:03,160 --> 00:04:04,000 Speaker 1: on Trai Road. 86 00:04:04,600 --> 00:04:06,480 Speaker 2: Pretty bad assault from what I can gather. 87 00:04:07,240 --> 00:04:09,040 Speaker 3: Yeah, that matters before the court. 88 00:04:09,720 --> 00:04:11,480 Speaker 4: I won't talk too much about it, but what I 89 00:04:11,520 --> 00:04:16,000 Speaker 4: can say is that the young man is still in hospital. 90 00:04:15,600 --> 00:04:17,159 Speaker 3: In a not a good way. 91 00:04:17,400 --> 00:04:23,760 Speaker 4: And so yeah, the youth that we alleged assaulted, the 92 00:04:23,760 --> 00:04:27,120 Speaker 4: youth who's in hospital, we'll have to front the court 93 00:04:27,160 --> 00:04:31,040 Speaker 4: and let the judicial system. 94 00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:33,040 Speaker 2: Flow through well, I hope he's all right, that fourteen 95 00:04:33,120 --> 00:04:34,040 Speaker 2: year old, that's terrible. 96 00:04:34,160 --> 00:04:36,320 Speaker 4: I will say that we did actually do repeat the 97 00:04:36,360 --> 00:04:40,039 Speaker 4: operation this weekend, Okay, Yeah, so we suspended it during 98 00:04:40,080 --> 00:04:45,120 Speaker 4: the lockdown period and then reinitiated it over the weekend. 99 00:04:45,200 --> 00:04:47,560 Speaker 1: Yeah, and did you find have we got a situation 100 00:04:47,680 --> 00:04:52,680 Speaker 1: like over the weekend after obviously conducting those different patrols 101 00:04:52,960 --> 00:04:56,160 Speaker 1: and working with territory families and the education department, did 102 00:04:56,200 --> 00:04:58,560 Speaker 1: you find that on the weekend just gone, things were 103 00:04:58,600 --> 00:04:59,400 Speaker 1: a little bit better. 104 00:05:00,200 --> 00:05:02,960 Speaker 3: There weren't as many youth that were engaged with. 105 00:05:04,279 --> 00:05:07,960 Speaker 4: It was kind of fortunate that unfortunate or fortunate, which 106 00:05:08,600 --> 00:05:11,440 Speaker 4: that there was an unlawful entry in the city in 107 00:05:11,480 --> 00:05:17,599 Speaker 4: the CBD and a person that witnessed it reported to 108 00:05:17,640 --> 00:05:19,520 Speaker 4: the police and the police responded really quickly and. 109 00:05:19,760 --> 00:05:23,080 Speaker 3: Caught three of the youth on. 110 00:05:23,000 --> 00:05:29,839 Speaker 4: Saturday afternoon, and subsequent investigations showed that the incident had 111 00:05:29,839 --> 00:05:33,200 Speaker 4: been caught on CCTV, So those three youth were. 112 00:05:34,480 --> 00:05:36,680 Speaker 2: Dealt with. Yeah. 113 00:05:36,760 --> 00:05:38,760 Speaker 1: Now, let's have a look at the crime stats, because 114 00:05:38,760 --> 00:05:41,160 Speaker 1: obviously these come out sort of every is it every 115 00:05:41,160 --> 00:05:41,919 Speaker 1: month or every. 116 00:05:41,760 --> 00:05:42,760 Speaker 2: Quarter that they come out? 117 00:05:42,920 --> 00:05:44,160 Speaker 3: It's every month, Catie. 118 00:05:44,440 --> 00:05:45,680 Speaker 2: So every month they come out. 119 00:05:45,720 --> 00:05:48,120 Speaker 1: I know that there is always a bit of a 120 00:05:48,160 --> 00:05:53,360 Speaker 1: mixed bag. Firstly, taking a look at the Darwin region, 121 00:05:53,560 --> 00:05:55,320 Speaker 1: how did you feel like, how have you found that 122 00:05:55,360 --> 00:05:58,239 Speaker 1: things have gone. Have we seen a spike in areas 123 00:05:58,279 --> 00:06:00,280 Speaker 1: and have we seen sort of a decrease in in 124 00:06:00,320 --> 00:06:01,240 Speaker 1: any area? 125 00:06:01,360 --> 00:06:03,400 Speaker 4: Yeah, Look, Katie, I think the really important thing is 126 00:06:03,400 --> 00:06:06,280 Speaker 4: that these are year on year stats and they slide 127 00:06:06,320 --> 00:06:09,839 Speaker 4: forward by one month, so things that happen twelve eighteen 128 00:06:09,880 --> 00:06:13,480 Speaker 4: months ago are still embedded in those crime stats. And 129 00:06:13,680 --> 00:06:16,080 Speaker 4: if you look at our assaults, they there high in 130 00:06:16,240 --> 00:06:19,599 Speaker 4: Darwen and Palmerston. But at the moment we're comparing to 131 00:06:19,880 --> 00:06:22,920 Speaker 4: that initial lockdown period that you remember right at the 132 00:06:22,920 --> 00:06:25,800 Speaker 4: start of COVID where Larrakia Nation did a really good 133 00:06:25,920 --> 00:06:31,159 Speaker 4: job of repatriating itinerants to their home communities and crime 134 00:06:31,279 --> 00:06:33,640 Speaker 4: is very, very low. So that's what we're comparing ourselves 135 00:06:33,640 --> 00:06:36,320 Speaker 4: with at the moment in terms of the assaults, and they. 136 00:06:36,240 --> 00:06:37,240 Speaker 3: Are quite volatile. 137 00:06:37,360 --> 00:06:40,800 Speaker 4: Like if you look at Palmerston, assaults have increased by 138 00:06:40,800 --> 00:06:43,919 Speaker 4: forty nine percent over the last twelve months compared to 139 00:06:43,960 --> 00:06:46,840 Speaker 4: the twelve months before, but if you go back two months, 140 00:06:47,720 --> 00:06:50,120 Speaker 4: the increase of sixty percent, So it's come down by 141 00:06:50,200 --> 00:06:53,719 Speaker 4: eleven percent in two months, so very very volatile figures 142 00:06:53,880 --> 00:06:57,919 Speaker 4: and I think that'll keep going for another fourteen to 143 00:06:57,920 --> 00:06:58,479 Speaker 4: fifteen months. 144 00:06:58,520 --> 00:07:01,359 Speaker 1: Yet, So do you use the statistics because you know, 145 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:03,040 Speaker 1: I guess taking a look at them, like you said, 146 00:07:03,040 --> 00:07:04,760 Speaker 1: there's sort of you know, there seems to be in 147 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:08,480 Speaker 1: some in some areas, massive swings one way, massive swings 148 00:07:08,520 --> 00:07:10,640 Speaker 1: the other way, which might surprise people, you know, like 149 00:07:10,720 --> 00:07:13,240 Speaker 1: some with the house break ins in Darwin for example, 150 00:07:13,240 --> 00:07:15,840 Speaker 1: down forty three percent. But then you look at as 151 00:07:15,840 --> 00:07:20,040 Speaker 1: you'd said, domestic violence related assault up fifty point four 152 00:07:20,200 --> 00:07:23,120 Speaker 1: four percent, So they seem to be quite volatile, sort 153 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:26,520 Speaker 1: of swinging, you know, one direction and the other. Are 154 00:07:26,560 --> 00:07:29,760 Speaker 1: these statistics do they actually sort of shape the way 155 00:07:29,840 --> 00:07:33,480 Speaker 1: that you then plan for, you know, for your officers 156 00:07:33,560 --> 00:07:35,600 Speaker 1: to be able to deal with different issues, or are 157 00:07:35,640 --> 00:07:38,720 Speaker 1: you more forward thinking rather than looking back at the 158 00:07:38,760 --> 00:07:40,480 Speaker 1: previous stats at. 159 00:07:40,360 --> 00:07:42,760 Speaker 4: A higher level, We use them, but from it on 160 00:07:42,800 --> 00:07:45,120 Speaker 4: a day to day basis, we look forward to what 161 00:07:45,200 --> 00:07:47,520 Speaker 4: we can do to prevent crime, whether it's violent crime 162 00:07:47,600 --> 00:07:50,400 Speaker 4: or property crime. And if you look at the recent 163 00:07:50,680 --> 00:07:54,000 Speaker 4: youth operations, which I will say will more than likely 164 00:07:54,040 --> 00:07:55,320 Speaker 4: go ahead this weekend as well. 165 00:07:55,640 --> 00:07:57,920 Speaker 3: If you look at those you know. 166 00:07:58,160 --> 00:08:01,400 Speaker 4: The community interest and the community was very concerned about 167 00:08:01,440 --> 00:08:06,960 Speaker 4: youth issues at that time, and that's why we implemented 168 00:08:06,960 --> 00:08:10,120 Speaker 4: that operation. And I will say perception is really really, 169 00:08:10,280 --> 00:08:14,760 Speaker 4: you know, perception is not always aligned with reality in 170 00:08:14,840 --> 00:08:18,240 Speaker 4: terms of crime figures. So you know, as your note, 171 00:08:18,480 --> 00:08:21,640 Speaker 4: property crime is way way down in Palmerston and Darwin. 172 00:08:22,600 --> 00:08:26,520 Speaker 4: But obviously there was a significant community concern about youth 173 00:08:26,800 --> 00:08:28,320 Speaker 4: and that's why we did the operation. 174 00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:29,040 Speaker 2: Ake sually you do it. 175 00:08:29,120 --> 00:08:32,400 Speaker 1: So then this weekend you're anticipating that you'll probably again 176 00:08:32,480 --> 00:08:34,640 Speaker 1: be keeping an eye on those youth. Yeah. 177 00:08:34,679 --> 00:08:36,920 Speaker 3: Absolutely, And as I've said. 178 00:08:36,800 --> 00:08:40,280 Speaker 4: Before, we know that the youth ride the public buses 179 00:08:40,320 --> 00:08:44,120 Speaker 4: and they transit between Casarina and Daralen, and I will 180 00:08:44,160 --> 00:08:46,880 Speaker 4: say not all of them are bad youth. It's you know, 181 00:08:47,000 --> 00:08:51,240 Speaker 4: it's just what they do. So for entertainment. It's not 182 00:08:51,679 --> 00:08:54,560 Speaker 4: really late at night most of the time, but from 183 00:08:54,559 --> 00:08:55,400 Speaker 4: time to time it is. 184 00:08:55,600 --> 00:08:57,480 Speaker 1: Do you guys ever have to sort of jump on 185 00:08:57,559 --> 00:09:01,400 Speaker 1: those buses or you know, get on that public transport 186 00:09:01,440 --> 00:09:04,080 Speaker 1: to make sure that there's sort of not bad behavior 187 00:09:04,120 --> 00:09:06,160 Speaker 1: or things happening on there that shouldn't be here. 188 00:09:06,240 --> 00:09:08,920 Speaker 4: We work closely with the transit safety officers. We meet 189 00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:11,920 Speaker 4: with them quite regularly, we know them quite well, and 190 00:09:12,080 --> 00:09:14,200 Speaker 4: from time to time we do joint operations with them. 191 00:09:14,280 --> 00:09:17,440 Speaker 4: But in this particular instance, we rely on the transit 192 00:09:17,480 --> 00:09:20,400 Speaker 4: safety officers to identify where those youth are so we 193 00:09:20,440 --> 00:09:23,760 Speaker 4: can go and engage with them. And they're very very helpful, 194 00:09:23,880 --> 00:09:26,400 Speaker 4: very very good at their job, and they contact us 195 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:27,360 Speaker 4: when they need help. 196 00:09:27,480 --> 00:09:31,600 Speaker 1: Are those various sort of bus exchanges around the top 197 00:09:31,720 --> 00:09:34,040 Speaker 1: end and around the territory? Do they end up being 198 00:09:34,080 --> 00:09:36,160 Speaker 1: areas where you have to keep a really close eye 199 00:09:36,200 --> 00:09:38,400 Speaker 1: sometimes on bad behavior? 200 00:09:39,200 --> 00:09:39,920 Speaker 2: I mean, it sort of. 201 00:09:39,880 --> 00:09:42,160 Speaker 1: Seems like quite often we do hear of things happening 202 00:09:42,200 --> 00:09:44,000 Speaker 1: at some of those bus exchange areas. 203 00:09:44,440 --> 00:09:44,640 Speaker 3: Yeah. 204 00:09:44,640 --> 00:09:47,840 Speaker 4: Absolutely, the transit safety officers are there as much as 205 00:09:47,880 --> 00:09:51,560 Speaker 4: they can be, and we supplement that with police attendance 206 00:09:51,600 --> 00:09:56,000 Speaker 4: to it. They are gathering places, obviously for people going 207 00:09:56,040 --> 00:09:58,719 Speaker 4: home from work or going to work, going home from 208 00:09:58,880 --> 00:10:01,120 Speaker 4: kitchen and from school. So you know, there are a 209 00:10:01,160 --> 00:10:04,760 Speaker 4: lot of people there for proper legitimate reasons, and they're 210 00:10:04,800 --> 00:10:07,920 Speaker 4: not the ones that we are particularly worried about. But 211 00:10:08,040 --> 00:10:12,400 Speaker 4: we do work with transit safety to target the key issues. 212 00:10:12,400 --> 00:10:15,319 Speaker 1: Well, Police Commander Matt Holland be Commander of Darwen and 213 00:10:15,400 --> 00:10:16,040 Speaker 1: Road Policing. 214 00:10:16,040 --> 00:10:17,120 Speaker 2: We are going to have to leave it there. 215 00:10:17,120 --> 00:10:18,880 Speaker 1: Actually, before I let you go, can I just ask 216 00:10:18,920 --> 00:10:20,600 Speaker 1: you most people been doing the right thing when it 217 00:10:20,600 --> 00:10:24,000 Speaker 1: comes to our COVID restrictions, I wearing masks and that 218 00:10:24,120 --> 00:10:24,600 Speaker 1: kind of thing. 219 00:10:25,240 --> 00:10:28,240 Speaker 4: In the main they have been. I think there were 220 00:10:28,280 --> 00:10:32,600 Speaker 4: six infringement issues yesterday. There's a media release on that. 221 00:10:34,200 --> 00:10:37,199 Speaker 4: But all in all, I think it's gone fairly well. 222 00:10:37,280 --> 00:10:39,559 Speaker 4: There are some people that think the rules don't apply 223 00:10:39,600 --> 00:10:41,800 Speaker 4: to them, but we'll do them. We'll deal with them 224 00:10:41,800 --> 00:10:43,440 Speaker 4: when we come across them. 225 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:45,400 Speaker 1: Well, we better leave it there, Matt Holland. Be good 226 00:10:45,400 --> 00:10:46,959 Speaker 1: to catch up with you this morning. Thanks so much 227 00:10:47,000 --> 00:10:47,400 Speaker 1: for your time. 228 00:10:47,440 --> 00:10:48,440 Speaker 3: Oh it is a pleasure, Katie. 229 00:10:48,440 --> 00:10:48,760 Speaker 2: Thank you.