A PTSD-afflicted ex-police officer’s comments about the force’s lack of concern for mental health were inexplicably deleted from an NT Police Facebook post promoting R U OK? Day, along with the Police Minister’s comments that she would investigate mental health concerns.
The comments were deleted as Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker claimed yesterday that he was being “cyber bullied” in unrelated social media comments, which he raised on ABC Radio when asked how he was addressing low morale within the ranks.
The deleted comments have sparked an Office of the Independent Commissioner Against Corruption referral, and two further calls for a royal commission into NT Police, including from former officer, Nick Carter, who left the force in June 2021 after close to a decade, after experiencing the trauma it can inflict, and who has now become an outspoken campaigner about mental health issues in the NT Police.
The NT Police Facebook post on September 8 – which as of yesterday remains public but without the comments – showed a picture of three people, including Commander Janelle Tonkin and Superintendent Craig Barrett, promoting R U OK? Day, suggesting that you did not need to be a professional to ask someone if they were okay.
Screenshots of the comments before they were deleted, provided to the NT Independent, show several former officers including Mr Carter commented on the post, in part to say they were not provided an exit interview when they left the job to explain the negative experiences that led to their departure.
“…We all know that this post was simply for the public to show that the NT Pol was seen to care. Window dressing, that’s all,” Heath Robert wrote, who also said he had not been granted an exit interview when he left.
“We know that is simply not the case and those that haven’t been okay hadn’t received the help they needed.”
The comments drew former NT Police officer and now Labor MLA for Blain Mark Turner to tag Police Minister Kate Worden. Mr Turner has since told the NT Independent he has referred the matter to the ICAC.
“Minister Worden, I don’t mean to be overly problematic, but judging from the comments, it appears that there might be something in that [Office of the Commissioner for Public Employment] People Matter survey data that our members are not okay,” he wrote.
“…There seem to be some people very keen to do exit interviews in the comments as well, which seems at odds with what he heard at Estimates too. Must be some sort of communication error.”
Ms Worden responded: “…Email me the details, and I will ensure there are follow up [sic].”
Mr Turner was then critical of the NT Police executive, pointing to the building at the Peter McAulay Centre that the officers in the post were standing in front of that had once been a members social club, but in 2018 was replaced by a multi-use facility.
A press release at the time stated it would serve as a venue for various training, support and well-being programs for members, employees and volunteers, however, Mr Turner said it had essentially been turned into a classroom, and that by closing the social club, a “mental health facility” had been taken from the rank and file members.
Ms Worden said “leave it with me, I will ask some specific questions”.
Chalker claims he is victim of ‘cyber-bullying’, says it’s ‘equal’ to well-being supports for members
Mr Chalker has repeatedly maintained he will not resign and claimed on Thursday in an ABC Radio interview that he has been the victim of “cyber-bullying” after being criticised in online comments about his performance in the role of top cop.
Asked what he was doing to combat low morale within the ranks, Mr Chalker said one of his top priorities was to provide more health and well-being supports for officers that had previously been delayed and that it would be “factored into our disciplinary processes”.
“But equally, as you know, I’ve been subjected to significant campaigns, and in the social media space, and I know you’re a strong advocate for mental health Jo [Laverty],” he said.
“Now you read those comments [on social media]. That’s amounted to cyber-bullying, I think you would accept that.”
Police media refuse to explain deleted officer messages about mental health concerns
NT Police media manager Rob Cross did not respond to questions to explain or justify why NT Police used taxpayer-funded staff to delete comments made by former officers that were critical of the department, specifically when the post was about mental health support and the ex-members were providing their personal experience of police mental health issues.
He also refused to explain why a comment from the Police Minister saying she would deal with the issues being raised was also deleted.
Ms Worden did not respond to questions yesterday about whether she would be raising the concerns of former members with the Police Commissioner.
When contacted yesterday, Mr Turner said as far as he was aware, the move to delete personal comments about mental health issues was unprecedented.
“I’ve referred the matter to the ICAC as yet another example of the systemic failure of the NT Police to deal with member welfare,” he said.
“Never mind the ludicrous situation that members have to write on an R U OK? post that they’re not okay – we’re seeing the agency hiding comments from its own Minister and my comments advising members to contact me for assistance if they can’t get it from the agency.
“As far as I’m aware, this is without precedent in the developed world.
“Unless signed off on by the Minister’s office, this meets the threshold for mandatory reporting as it breaches the agency’s promulgated values and confirms the issues noted by the ICAC in their report to Parliament and the OCPE People Matter survey.
“It’s yet another reason we need a royal commission into NT Police, and I call on the CLP and independents to support my calls,” Mr Turner said.
“This lunacy has to stop. My five-month-old has been to too many police funerals, and we are hemorrhaging our best and brightest. Someone has to stand up and call this out before it destroys more police officers and their families.”
There have been five known suicides by current or former NT Police officers this year alone.
The Support and Well-being Services review summary, which was released to members on June 3, stated there was no defined strategy supported by performance metrics, and only limited data reporting on mental health and well-being, while also stating there was no money for “preventative and responsive” services.
It went on to show other significant failures, but couched them in bureaucratic terms as “opportunities”, that indicated failure to meet legislative responsibilities, a lack of funding, a lack of humanity in management, failures in processes to escalate concerns about mental health, and a lack of professional development for the support and well-being team.
Nick Carter “triggered” into commenting on R U OK? post
Mr Carter told the NT Independent he quit the the force with no job to go to because he needed to get out, with the idea of leaving the COVID-19 response to return to general duties giving him anxiety.
He said he supports a federal royal commission into NT Police because a locally based inquiry would hold little trust with members and the general public.
He was one of five current and former officers interviewed on ABC Radio Darwin by Jolene Laverty in February, discussing the lack of welfare services for officers, and how no one from NT Police had called him since he had left the force to check on his welfare.
Mr Carter told the NT Independent that in the days after that interview, Ms Laverty interviewed then-acting assistant police commissioner Janelle Tonkin, who defended the existing mental health services, and then-police minister Nicole Manison who talked about the review into mental health in police having taken place.
He said he has still not received a call from NT Police about his welfare and the issues he raised, and when he saw now-Commander Tonkin holding a sign in a photo in the R U OK? post, he said he was “triggered” into making a comment.
“I had no other choice but to comment on it. I just made mention I still haven’t got my phone call and that she should be ashamed that I had not received a phone call,” he said.
“It is quite clear people are in need of help and all they do is hide their comments.
“If you are going to fail in duty of care, well, they are doing it monumentally. It is beyond belief. In any normal place they would make sure staff welfare is well looked after.
“I am 53 now and I have been working since a week before my 16th birthday. And I have never seen something go downhill so far in my whole life than the NT Police since Jamie Chalker took over as police commissioner.
“There was a level of morale with [Police Commissioner John] McRoberts but with this fella, there is nothing.
“The police was great until he took over. I have never seen anything like it. I have never seen anything drop so quickly.
“All I wanted was someone to call me and ask if I was all right and tell me about what services are available.
“They all know about it [the police executive and ministers] but they have done nothing about it.
“None of us have been contacted. There’s a saying, ‘I’m hearing it but not seeing it’. We’re not even hearing it. The question is, how much would it cost to fix the problem, against what it will cost if they don’t fix it?”
At the time of his appointment in October 2019, Mr Chalker said he had great support from NT Police, Fire and Emergency Services staff and said his second coming into the force would be great for morale.
“Morale seems to have taken a solid shot in the arm with this appointment and that’s something that I’m very humbled by,” he told the ABC at the time.
After the August no-confidence vote, NTPA president Paul McCue told the ABC the results showed NT Police was in “complete crisis” and that morale was at an “all-time low”.
If you or anyone you know is experiencing mental health difficulties, please reach out to Lifeline on 13 11 14, Beyondblue on 1300 224 636 or Mensline Australia on 1300 789 978.
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