NT police have been spat at, threatened with a bottle and have even narrowly avoided being run down in a violent week in the Top End.
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The NT Police Association today condemned the ongoing attacks on its members, highlighted in two separate incidents in Darwin and the rural area this week.
Police have made a number of arrests of youth charged with violent offences.
It is the first week of the local school holidays.
NTPA president Paul McCue said police deserve more respect.
"The message is clearly not getting through to certain sections of the community: it is totally unacceptable to harm or attempt to harm a police officer, or other frontline emergency worker, when they are just trying to do their job," he said.
"Our members go to work every day for one reason; to keep the community safe.
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"These reckless attacks include a vehicle being deliberately driven at police, and another where officers were spat at and narrowly avoided being hit with a bottle during the arrest of three youths.
"We're obviously incredibly concerned by any incident that puts our members in danger and these recent assaults are frankly disgusting.
"Attempting to ram a police vehicle or officer has the potential to do serious, permanent damage.
"While officers who are spat on, face the anxious wait to ensure they haven't contracted a communicable disease.
"What's also concerning is the age of these alleged offenders. The question must be asked: why is there such a lack of respect for our hard-working police?
"And is enough being done by our politicians and courts to deter this dangerous behaviour?" Mr McCue said.
Police and Government Agencies this afternoon launched Strike Force Orion in a bid to crack down on youth offending.
The announcement comes following several unrelated youth crime incidents this week.
Young people who do the wrong thing must face the consequences. Northern Territory Government agencies are working together to prevent harm to the community and support victims, while working with at risk young people through prevention and diversion programs.
The Strike Force Orion aims to:
Deliver a coordinated high level structure comprising of NT Police, Territory Families, Housing, Education, DCM and Health to deliver a sustainable plan focussing on the response and management for high risk youth offenders;
Deliver proactive engagement/prevention plan to reduce the likelihood of further offending;
Be intelligence-driven utilising current data holdings across agencies to formulate joint case management and intervention plans for high risk youth and their families;
Map recent offending to focus resources on prevention activity, community engagement and reassurance to the community;
Focus on intervention strategies to reduce the impact of alcohol and domestic violence within the family home;
Engage with stakeholders to get traction on social service youth funded programs to assist breaking the cycle of offending;
Leverage off Neighbourhood Watch, Victims of Crime NT, BizSecure and Alcohol Secure to promote prevention and education;
Provide high visibility policing to reduce anti-social behaviour and crime.
Strike Force Orion with be responsible to the Children and Families Sub-committee with the Operation Centre established at Palmerston Police Station to facilitate co-location and coordination of Government services.
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