'Recipe for disaster': advocates condemn plan to bring in guns for bus and public housing officers in the NT
The CLP Government and NT Police, this week announced they are developing a new Police Public Safety Officer (PPSO) stream, which will see existing public safety officers trained and armed as NT police officers. In addition to carrying guns, the PPSOs will wear NT Police uniforms and operate under NT Police command targeting antisocial behaviour and high-visibility patrols. Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory (AMSANT) chief executive Dr John Paterson said the move continues a worrying trend of reactive, punitive policies that weaponise public safety. 'This will not make anyone safer," he said. "It will instead escalate confrontations, increase the likelihood of violent incidents, and put the lives of vulnerable people – including those sleeping rough – at serious risk."
Dr Paterson said the proposal distracts from addressing the root causes of violence and disadvantage. "It's a worrying sign of the Territory Government's continued militarisation of public spaces and its ongoing failure to invest in the real solutions," he said. 'While community safety matters, equipping more people with weapons is not the answer." The reform will see 34 current Public Housing Saftey Officers and 22 Transit Saftey Officers, trained and re-deployed by 2026. 'What's next — arming school crossing attendants?' Brendan Ritchie, a member of Justice Not Jails – a grassroots community group based in Garramilla Darwin – says the latest changes under the CLP's 'tough on crime' agenda will disproportionately impact First Nations people. 'The NT has a tragic history of over-policing and violence against First Nations people," he said. "Giving more weapons to less-experienced 'officers' only compounds this injustice. "What's next – arming school crossing attendants?'
The union that represents police also appears to have reservations about the plan, with NT Police Association president Nathan Finn telling the NT News that they needed to see more details. It follows the recent death in custody of a 24-year-old Warlpiri man, who was living with a mental disability, in Alice Springs last month. Ally Sara, also a member of Justice Not Jails, says giving more people guns will increase the risk of violence. "Putting under-trained and over-armed transit officers onto crowded buses with lethal weapons is a shockingly shortsighted recipe for disaster," she said. "Given the recent tragedy in Alice Springs, I have very little confidence in the NT Police's ability to train their staff to exercise reasonable force."
Last week the NT CLP Government announced a 12-month trial to allow members of the public to buy and use pepper spray (also known as oleoresin capsicum spray or OC spray). The trial, set to begin on 1 September, makes the NT the second jurisdiction in Australia to legalise the sale and use of pepper spray, joining Western Australia. 'This is now the second step in a matter of weeks to arm underqualified individuals with weapons, first OC spray for the public and now firearms for public safety officers," Dr Paterson said. What does the NT Government say? When announcing the new changes, NT Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro, who is also the minister for police, said the new Police Public Safety Officer model is about boosting frontline presence and delivering real community outcomes. 'We're cutting duplication, boosting visibility, empowering our PPSO's to tackle antisocial behaviour head-on,' Ms Finocchiaro said. 'Police are doing an outstanding job, especially dealing with domestic and family violence, which now makes up around 60 per cent of their work. "This model gives them the backup they need while delivering stronger community safety outcomes.' The first intake of PPSOs is expected to commence training in December 2025, with officers operational in early 2026. Comment has been sought from the NT Police Association.
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