Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker playing golf in South Australia while Rolfe murder trial culminates: Sources

Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker playing golf in South Australia while Rolfe murder trial culminates: Sources

by | Mar 9, 2022 | Cops, News | 0 comments

Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker has been off playing golf at the Australian Police Golf Championships in South Australia while one his members, Constable Zach Rolfe’s murder trial comes to an end, and while police and fire services make contingency plans for potential violence stemming from the verdict, sources have told the NT Independent.

Five police sources have told the NT Independent Mr Chalker was at the golf tournament, expressing outrage and disbelief he would choose to go interstate at such a critical time.

Constable Zachary Rolfe is on trial in Darwin charged with murder for the 2019 shooting death of Kumanjayi Walker in Yuendumu, while he and another officer were trying to arrest him. One of the most high profile trials in Northern Territory history, it is due to finish this week.

“He is obviously more concerned about making par than with one of his members facing life imprisonment,” one source said.

Former Alice Springs police officer Carey Joy said he knew through police sources that Mr Chalker was in South Australia, and said NT Police had sent extra officers to the Yuendumu community, as well as the Territory Response Group to Alice Springs, in readiness for the verdict.

“We are in the middle of one of the biggest criminal trial events in NT Police history,” he said.

“We even have TRG in Alice to respond to potential riots from Yuendumu when the Rolfe verdict is handed down.

“And where is Chalker?”

Meanwhile, one senior source said Mr Chalker left without appointing one of his deputy commissioners as the acting commissioner, leaving a power vacuum on a troubling day for the service.

Yesterday, a police officer shot a man in Palmerston and both Deputy Commissioner Michael Murphy‘s and Deputy Commissioner Murray Smalpage’s names were at the bottom of internal communications about the shooting.

Police on the street in Palmerston near the shooting. Picture: Joel Willingale

The Australian Police Golf Championships started on Sunday with an official opening that was followed by a pairs round on the Monday, then three days of regular golf competition at different courses, finishing on Friday.

Another source said, in good news for Mr Chalker, that he and his non-NT partner won their round at the McCracken Country Club at Victor Harbour, which has a four-star resort, boasting spectacular views of the Hindmarsh Valley and beyond, where officers dined the night before.

Sources said he was due to fly back to Darwin late Wednesday or early Thursday.

The four star resort McCracken Country Club overlooking the championship golf course at Victor Harbor.

NT Police media manager Rob Cross did not respond to questions from the NT Independent, including why Mr Chalker chose to take a golfing trip during the Rolfe trial, or if on learning of the shooting he had returned to Darwin, making use of the police plane if he could not get a commercial flight.

When asked if they thought Mr Chalker would fly back after hearing about the shooting the senior source said: “A real leader would come back. I don’t think he will.”

If Mr Chalker continued on in the championships yesterday instead of returning, he would have been playing 18 holes at the picturesque Mount Compass Golf Club, which is also on the Fleurieu Peninsula, and ranked at 42 in 2020 in Golf Australia magazine’s Top-100 public access courses.

Mount Compass golf course

The Mount Compass golf course on the Fleurieu Peninsula.

If he has chosen to stay on today, he would be playing at the Links Lady Bay Golf Club right near the ocean outside Yankalila, also on the Fleurieu Peninsula.

NT Police Association president Paul McCue did not respond to a request for comment about the timing and appropriateness of the top cop’s golf trip while the murder trial of one of his officers was about to wrap up.

Police officers are allowed three days sporting leave a year, the NT Independent was told, and Mr Chalker is the delegate who approves that leave. NT Police would not say if he approved his own leave.

They also would not comment on whether he paid his own expenses.

 

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