15 July 2025
The Palmerston Police Watch House has reached a crisis point, with 92 detainees recorded in custody yesterday, including 76 correctional prisoners.
This comes despite repeated assurances from the CLP Government that the facility would no longer be used to house correctional prisoners.
Northern Territory Police Association (NTPA) President Nathan Finn said the situation is putting police officers, prisoners, and the broader community at unacceptable risk.
“This is officially out of control. The CLP Government has made repeated promises to stop using police facilities for correctional purposes, yet the Palmerston Watch House is now overflowing," President Finn said.
“It’s not a matter of if, but when a serious custody incident occurs.”
President Finn said the Government’s tough-on-crime rhetoric is not being matched with adequate planning or infrastructure investment, and frontline officers are paying the price.
“This Government continues to beat its chest about locking up more offenders, but it has utterly failed to plan for the consequences of its own policies.
“Our members are being diverted away from critical frontline duties to manage this escalating crisis. Police officers are exhausted, burnt out, and being called in on overtime just to maintain basic safety within the watch house."
“This is no longer just a resource issue, it is a workplace safety issue. It’s an unacceptable and dangerous environment for our members.”
The NTPA is calling on the Government to urgently invest in appropriate correctional infrastructure and stop relying on police watch houses as overflow prisons.
“If immediate action isn’t taken, we’re gravely concerned that someone - be it a police officer, a prisoner, or a member of the public, is going to be seriously injured or worse,” President Finn said.
