Police winning battle

The Territory Police Force is not the same force it was eight months ago, senior police said last night.

When the O’Sullivan review of NT Police was released in August 2003 it spoke of a force that was under-resourced, overworked and unable, in some cases, to meet public expectations.

But Assistant Commissioner Grahame Kelly said the O’Sullivan report had been a catalyst that had sparked big changes in the Territory’s police force.

“Has the police force changed and are we able to provide a better service since O’Sullivan was around? I’d have to say ‘absolutely,’ Mr Kelly said.

“There’s (sic) been some massive changes and I think our service delivery is improving, and will continue to improve.”

In a Northern Territory News exclusive, Mr Kelly revealed that this year there had been a significant drop in the number of offences reported to police and an increase in the number of arrests and summonses by police.

OFFENCES against persons were down 3 per cent;

PROPERTY offences were down 21 per cent;

UNLAWFUL entries to dwellings were down 28 per cent; and

ARRESTS and summonses for offences against persons increased 4 per cent, and for unlawful entries by 5 per cent.

“O’Sullivan provided the catalyst. It’s been a massive change and it’s been quite successful – I think that those successes will keep going,” Mr Kelly said.

Among the changes was a restructuring of the force that has seen detectives return to local police stations.

The decentralisation of CIB allowed detectives to work more closely with uniformed officers.

Recommendations adopted by the Government as a result of O’Sullivan has (sic) seen a commitment to get an extra 250 police on the streets. Already there’s been an extra 120 trainee officers through the police college.

“We’re in a better situation than we’ve been for many years,” Mr Kelly said.

Newshawk: Stuart Highway
Pubdate: 19th April 2004
Source: Northern Territory News (Australia)
Author: Edith Bevin
Copyright: 2004 Northern Territory News
Contact: ntnmail@ntn.newsltd.com.au
Website: http://ntnews.news.com.au/