The force’s elite tactical response team is said to have given out a number of racist awards, which has infuriated the top police officer in the Northern Territory.
During an inquiry into Kumanjayi Walker’s death, former constable Zachary Rolfe tendered the certificates in an effort to demonstrate the force’s deeply embedded racist culture.
On November 9, 2019, Rolfe shot Walker, 19, three times when he resisted being restrained and was carrying a pair of scissors in Yuendumu, northwest of Alice Springs.
Rolfe’s five-week trial resulted in his acquittal of murder.
Attorneys argued over the validity of ‘certificates’ provided by Rolfe, seeking evidence that Northern Territory Police had given out a discriminatory award at Christmas parties, during the most of the February inquest session.
The three certifications were made public on Monday by Coroner Elisabeth Armitage.
In the first, an Aboriginal flag is seen with the words “CAUTION for a RAPE… that’s all that needs to be said” and the logo of the Territory Response Group in the corner.
Redacted is the name of the receiving policeman, and the award looks to be dated 2013.
The TRG emblem and an image of a police rescue truck pursuing Usain Bolt are featured on the second certificate from 2012.
The phrase “Runner up SOOTY AWARD, for outstanding lack of excellence in approaching a stronghold” are written.
The final 2012 award also features the TRG emblem, which shows a woman in skimpy apparel and a naked man lying on his back.
“Award for outstanding lack of excellence in cooking sausages” is one of the words.
Despite the fact that the certificates have not been formally validated, Commissioner Michael Murphy declared he was “taking the certificates as true”.
“It’s absolutely disgraceful and abhorrent, I won’t stand for that type of culture in the Northern Territory police,” he stated on Monday.
“It’s a line in the sand and we need to move forward and do a significant amount of homework to make sure the NT police is a safe, culturally safe and culturally competent organisation that indigenous people want to work with”.
He stated that police are looking into the awards internally with the ICAC.
Murphy stated in February that NT Police did not have a systematic racism issue, even though he acknowledged the award was racist regardless of whether the certificates were validated.
The award was deemed “not acceptable” by NT Chief Minister Eva Lawler, and Police Minister Brent Potter promised to take appropriate action.
“This has highlighted that we need to act faster, even though the coronial matter is ongoing there is work that can be done between myself, the commissioner and the attorney-general,” he stated.
Four testimonies from senior Tactical Response Group officers were presented by NT Police lawyer Ian Freckelton during the inquest. The officers denied the claims and stated that there was no such award.
The award, which is thought to be the same one that Rolfe called out, was mentioned in all four statements.
They all claimed that one of the words in the award title was “made up” and had nothing to do with Native Americans.
“This award is presented to people who have displayed an outstanding lack of excellence in the area of personal hygiene or feral behaviour,” stated Superintendent Craig Garland.
On the other hand, Rolfe’s solicitors appeared in court the next day bearing certificates purporting to be from the winners of the racial award.
Rolfe asked that the cops’ identities not be disclosed, but he did write it down so the lawyers could see it.
Freckelton successfully petitioned to stop the media from releasing pictures of the award until investigations were completed.
