July 8th 2024.
Over the past weekend, there were a string of criminal activities that took place in Alice Springs. These incidents included an alleged assault of four off-duty police officers. As a result, Northern Territory Police Commissioner Michael Murphy has declared a three-night curfew in the town. This decision was made in response to the rising crime rate and to ensure the safety of residents.
The curfew will be in effect from 10pm to 6am for the next three nights, during which people of all ages will not be allowed to enter the city centre without a valid reason. Murphy explained that valid reasons include fleeing from domestic violence, visiting family, caring for someone, being in Alice Springs for work purposes, or engaging in lawful activities such as going to a fast food restaurant.
The designated curfew area includes Anzac Hill, Schwarz Crescent, the hospital, and stretches from the Stuart Highway to Leichhardt and Stott Terrace. This decision comes after a weekend filled with several alleged cases of violent crime. One incident involved a group of 20 young men allegedly assaulting four off-duty police officers, while another involved a drunk driver running over an officer outside a bottle shop.
NT Chief Minister Eva Lawler expressed her disappointment in the recent events and stated that the curfew would give the police additional powers to address the situation in Alice Springs. This is the second curfew to be declared in the town in the last few months, with the previous one being imposed on children in the town's centre during night-time hours.
The current curfew was made possible through new laws that were introduced in May, giving the police commissioner the authority to enforce a 72-hour curfew. Murphy stated that he would consider extending the curfew if necessary. He also mentioned that if harmful behavior continues, he may request for a different area to be under curfew or seek approval from the minister to extend the curfew for another seven days.
Lawler believes that the curfew will serve as a "circuit breaker" to address the current situation, but Swinburne University criminology expert Dr Joel McGregor believes that long-term measures are needed to bring about lasting change in the region. He stated that interventions that promote long-term behavior change are necessary to address any crime problem. While the curfew may help prevent crimes from occurring during the evening, it is not a permanent solution and should not be seen as one. It is only a temporary measure, as evident by the need to reintroduce the curfew.
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