Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro has finally ordered an independent inquiry into executive appointments in the NT Police, despite claiming two days ago that she had no concerns about cronyism in the police force, with all executives appointed by disgraced commissioner Michael Murphy remaining in their roles while the inquiry is carried out.
A woman died at the scene after she was hit by a vehicle on the Stuart Highway in Berrimah on Wednesday night, NT Police said.
Police searching for a man on the run from a forensic disability cottage at Holtze prison were warned the man may be armed, violent, and mentally ill, which is at odds with NT Police telling the public it did not believe he was a risk, The Australian has reported.
Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro continues to reject calls for an independent investigation into a series of questionable senior executive appointments in the NT Police top brass that has left the force reeling in recent days, while an integrity expert said the NT needed an interstate senior police officer to conduct the investigation and restore stability and public trust to the police amid the “ridiculous” situation.
A 16-year-old boy who crashed a stolen car in the northern suburbs early Tuesday morning, left two people behind in the car when he fled police, including an 11-year-old boy and 32-year-old woman who needed medical treatment, NT Police said, with all three arrested along with three others after a wild night of stolen vehicles across Darwin.
Disgraced police commissioner Michael Murphy mysteriously cancelled a recruitment process for the deputy commissioner role in late 2023, multiple sources have told the NT Independent, and later struck a new panel that appointed current Acting Commissioner Martin Dole in the deputy role, which comes amid calls by the police union to investigate all of Mr Murphy’s appointments, that have so far been rejected by the Chief Minister.
A 23-year-old man has been charged with the abduction of a 12-year-old boy in Alice Springs last month, after being extradited from South Australia.
UPDATED: Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro has added more uncertainty and instability in the NT Police, claiming on Monday morning that she only today became aware Acting Police Commissioner Martin Dole was on the same mismanaged hiring panel as Michael Murphy to appoint a senior role, despite being asked about it on Sunday and being given a briefing by the ICAC late last month, adding that she holds “no concerns” about a culture of cronyism in the NT Police.
A police officer was injured early Sunday morning in Alice Springs when a stolen Toyota Hilux accelerated and rammed into his parked vehicle, causing a suspected concussion, NT Police said.
Police Commissioner Michael Murphy will not be referred for a criminal investigation into his proven improper conduct, Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro said at her first press conference since moving to terminate his contract, but again refused to explain why she did not take action as soon as she became aware of Mr Murphy’s improper conduct.
Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro has finally told Police Commissioner Michael Murphy to resign, stating he has “lost the confidence of the Government”, but it appears he has been placed on leave while his contract is terminated, according to an unusual Saturday night statement from her office.
Assistant Police Commissioner Peter Kennon, whose promotion was at the centre of the recent ICAC investigation, went from a Superintendent to Acting Deputy Commissioner in roughly 18-months after his close friend Michael Murphy, who had been his best man, became Police Commissioner, sources have told the NT Independent.
