Today’s graduation of 15 Police Auxiliary Liquor Inspectors (PALIs) will see more police resources to cut crime.

Recruiting 75 PALIs is a key part of the Territory Labor Government’s plan to tackle the alcohol-fuelled crime and violence on our streets. Today’s graduation takes the total number of PALIs on the beat to 73.

Government’s plan - announced March 2018 - consisted of a new unit within NT Police comprising 75 PALIs (in Alice Springs, Katherine and Tennant Creek), 12 police officers to target secondary supply (eight in Darwin and four in Alice Springs), three prosecutors (to focus on license breach prosecutions); 10 additional mobile CCTV cameras, and changes to legislation to give our police stronger powers.

This work has driven alcohol-related assaults down to a 10-year low, and has seen significant reductions in alcohol-related emergency department admissions.

We are also seeing pressure taken off our frontline police and Watch Houses with significant reductions in alcohol related incidents, public intoxication and people being taken into protective custody.

Quotes from Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services Nicole Manison:

“Our plan to tackle alcohol-fuelled crime and violence is working and PALIs are playing a big role in that success.

”Alcohol-related assaults are at a 10-year low and this is taking pressure off vital frontline services including our police, our paramedics and our nurses.

“This is in stark contrast to the former train-wreck CLP government who scrapped the Banned Drinker Register, failed to deliver more police and had no plan to tackle alcohol abuse.”

Media Contact – Hannah Farmer – 0428 497 154

** For latest protective custody stats please see here