Calls for a permanent police presence in the crime-ridden suburb of Karama by more than a thousand residents have been rejected by the Fyles Government.
The demands were backed by a Labor MLA and a Darwin alderman for a 24/7 police presence for the vicinity in and around Karama Shopping Plaza, but were rejected by Police Minister Kate Worden, who said that the demand is “uneconomical” and that the crime rate in the area had dropped over the past 12 months – points the proponents disagree with.
In a letter responding to the petition stated by Karama MLA Ngaree Ah Kit and Waters Ward Alderman Brian O’Gallagher, Ms Worden said that a permanent police presence has been trialled previously at Palmerston, Parap and Casuarina shopping precincts.
“They were proven to be an uneconomical, ineffective, and costly alternative to responsive mobile patrols,” she wrote in the letter that was shared on social media.
“Additionally, use of a police caravan has also been trialled earlier at Karama, with results showing that police response, as required, with regular proactive patrols was a more appropriate allocation of police resources.”
Ms Worden added that “a review of incidents reported throughout 2022 from the Karama Shopping Centre indicates a decrease over the last 12 months, while other suburbs in the response area show an equal demand on policing resources”.
Ms Ah Kit said she had been calling for more than half a decade for a permanent police presence in the Karama area to deal with out-of-control crime. The petition had gained 1,168 signatories.
To augment the lack of police presence in Karama, Ms Ah Kit has supported the funding of Neptune NT—a private security company—to do nightly dog patrols in Karama and the nearby suburb of Malak.
However, Ms Worden has previously voiced her disapproval of the security patrols, suggesting they do not stop crime, only move it to a different neighbourhood.
The recently announced Karama security patrols cost the NT Government around $250,000, which Mr O’Gallagher said could reach $1 million per year if continued.
That amount would be better spent on delivering more police officers in Karama, he said.
“Nothing is more effective in deterring crime than officers in blue uniforms being very visible and engaging our community at our shopping centres and patrolling our streets,” he said.
“The Minister claims that the number of incidents in Karama has reduced over the last 12 months. Certainly, this doesn’t reflect the feedback I get from residents—and possibly residents have stopped reporting incidents because they see no action taken.”
The Nightcliff Police Station is roughly 9 km from the Karama Shopping Plaza, but is staffed by 35 police officers instead of the required 70, while the Casuarina Police station is just 4km from Karama. Both stations serve the Karama area populated by around 4,800 residents.
Last week, Ms Worden announced a crime action plan for Alice Springs that involves bringing bureaucrats and non-government agencies together to help solve that town’s crime crisis. She said a similar program will be established in Darwin’s northern suburbs next.
