The NT Government says the 19 are new recruits who with the squad of 59 now half-way through their 30 week training program, which will see them graduate in May.

No information has been provided on any extra requirements for the station to accommodate the extra personnel.

With the Territory going to the polls in August with law an order issues already identified as a key concern in Katherine, the NT Government continues to promote its pre-election promise of bringing an extra 120 police to the force across the Territory.

Katherine Times has repeatedly questioned government claims the 19 would be additional to the current operational manning levels of the Katherine Police Station, where it is known many vacancies exist.

The government says the new recruits will be posted across the Territory, including 30 to Alice Springs, 19 to Katherine and 10 to Tennant Creek "bringing the needed boost to resources in the regions".

A spokeswoman for Police Minister Nicole Manison agreed the vacancies would be filled first then the others would be "additional".

The spokeswoman said there were about seven vacancies in Katherine "with internal recruitment underway for those positions".

Five of those vacancies were identified as being above the rank of constable, which would mean they would not be able to be filled by recruits.

The spokeswoman said there were now an extra 24 liquor inspectors in Katherine which are counted separately to the the promise of an extra 120 police.

Questioned further on the extra 19 police for Katherine, the Minister's spokeswoman said: "Staffing/resources deployment can be flexible where needed and where determined by the Commissioner, thus numbers can fluctuate".

We were directed to ask police command on what was intended with the new recruits.

"Northern Territory Police are unable to provide exact numbers in relation to vacancies as this constantly varies with internal recruitment processes," a police media spokeswoman said.

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