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24 February 2023
 
The Northern Territory Police Association (NTPA) has released results from its latest member survey, which confirms our members believe the NT Police Force is critically understaffed and under resourced, and members feel completely abandoned by the NT Government.
 
NTPA President, Paul McCue, said this is a damning assessment of the NT Police Force, and the inaction of the NT Government to address critical concerns from our members.
 
“Clearly with our membership expressing such serious concerns regarding resourcing and morale, an urgent boost in funding for police, and serious considerations for structural changes to the department, need to be made.
 
In total, there were 1,202 member responses, which is 74 percent of the NTPA membership and is the highest ever return rate of an NTPA survey.
 
A total of 1,632 members were eligible to take part in this survey.
 
Results show:
  • 97.6 percent of respondents do not believe there are enough police to do what is asked of them;
  • 80.7 percent rated morale as low, or very low;
  • 96.7 percent do not feel supported by the NT Government;
  • 86.8 percent support a work-to-rule industrial campaign; and
  • 85.3 percent have considered an exit strategy from the NT Police Force in the last six to twelve months.
“Compared with the results from our August 22 membership survey, there’s been a substantial increase in members who do not believe there are enough police in the NT, while those who rated morale as low, or very low has also risen.
 
“The fact 1,024 surveyed officers said they’d considered an exit strategy in the past six to twelve months should be of enormous concern to Government and the Commissioner of Police. 
 
“That means 63 percent of the entire NT Police Force has considered leaving the job. If that’s not the wake up call for the Government to take urgent action, I don’t know what is.
 
"With interstate police forces actively targeting our current serving members, and now actively targeting overseas police officers, we appear already behind the eight ball," said Mr McCue.
 
ENDS

Please direct all media enquiries to NTPA Communications Officer, Kyrrie Blenkinsop +61 (0) 499 017 654 or media@ntpa.com.au

The Northern Territory Police Association (NTPA) is the industrial voice of all members of the Northern Territory Police Force. Read more via www.ntpa.com.au or join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NTPoliceAssociation