9 October 2025
The Northern Territory Police Association (NTPA) acknowledges and congratulates Commissioner Martin Dole APM on his appointment as Commissioner of the Northern Territory Police Force.
Commissioner Dole is a long-serving and respected member of the NT Police Force. While his rise through the ranks has been rapid - reaching Police Commissioner just five years after holding the rank of Superintendent - he is widely recognised as a dedicated and passionate officer committed to serving the Northern Territory community.
However, the NTPA is deeply concerned by the process - or lack thereof - that led to this appointment. This was a direct appointment, made without any open or transparent recruitment process, and it comes immediately after a flawed inquiry into senior police appointments within our force.
NTPA President Nathan Finn said this decision is yet another example of a Government that continues to ignore the voices of frontline police and the community it serves.
“We have no doubt Commissioner Dole is capable of leading the Force,” President Finn said.
“But how can the Chief Minister possibly declare that ‘there is no better person in this country to be the Police Commissioner’ when there was no recruitment process at all?”
President Finn said the decision to make a direct appointment just two days after accepting the Justice Blow Inquiry recommendations was mind-boggling and demonstrates a complete disregard for transparency, accountability and public confidence.
“The Blow Inquiry was supposed to help restore trust in how senior appointments are made within the NT Police Force,” he said.
“Instead, it has achieved the opposite. The Government’s refusal to grant Justice Blow the powers required to properly conduct that investigation has left serious allegations unanswered.”
President Finn said the Chief Minister’s actions show a failure to understand the growing frustration within the ranks.
“The men and women of the Northern Territory Police Force have made it clear they have serious concerns about the integrity of senior appointments within our organisation,” he said.
“This direct appointment does nothing to alleviate those concerns. Perception is reality and this decision undermines the very trust and integrity the Government claims it wants to rebuild.”
The NTPA believes that, regardless of whether the Chief Minister personally believed Commissioner Dole was the preferred person for the role, a national recruitment campaign should have been undertaken to ensure every single candidate was explored and considered.
“We could have attracted exceptional and experienced candidates from across other jurisdictions, leaders who could bring fresh ideas, vision and direction to strengthen our Force,” President Finn said.
“We may have potentially missed a critical opportunity to rebuild and reset after years of executive instability and internal chaos. But now we’ll never know and that’s pretty disappointing.”
The NTPA once again congratulates Commissioner Dole on his appointment and looks forward to working with him in the best interests of our members and the Northern Territory community.
