Jamie Chalker’s time as Police Commissioner has been defined by the aftermath of Kumanjayi Walker’s shooting death which raised serious questions about his integrity, including the hiding of key evidence in the Constable Zach Rolfe murder trial and questions about the integrity and morale of the force under his leadership.
In the wake of Mr Chalker’s disappearance, this series examines his chaotic reign as top cop, bringing together all the failings, the lies, the alleged conspiracies, and mystifying public utterances.
Today, we look at what are likely to be the last weeks of his tenure, including Mr Chalker’s lawyer at the Inquest claiming that Constable Rolfe calling the police commissioner a clown was perverting the course of justice, the overall sacking of Constable Rolfe after trying for years, reports Chalker himself was asked to resign, and Mr Chalker’s high-priced legal response that he wanted his contract renewed.
READ: Tarnished Brass: Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker’s career saved from a housing wreck
READ: Tarnished Brass II: ‘An erosion of trust, respect, integrity, and the lack of compassion…’
READ: Tarnished Brass V: ICAC announces investigation into Rolfe murder charge
READ: Tarnished Brass VI: Vote of no confidence in Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker
READ: Tarnished Brass VIII: Police pursued Rolfe murder charge against DPP witness advice
Monday, February 27, 2023
The lawyer representing Jamie Chalker at the Kumanjayi Walker coronial inquest has told the Coroner that Constable Zach Rolfe’s opinion piece was an attempt to “intimidate” police brass who would be testifying the following week, that he had “perverted the course of justice” by writing it and that “a robust consequence will follow” for publicly referring to the commissioner as a “clown”.
Ian Freckleton, who taxpayers paid nearly $700,000 last year for various contracts, made the comments as the inquest resumed for the first time since last November and surprisingly also defended Mr Walker, suggesting if he were alive, he could sue Constable Rolfe for defamation for writing that Mr Walker had “a violent past” and other details of his criminal history.
“He [Constable Rolfe] is persisting in a campaign, it would appear, to try and destabilise the Northern Territory Police force,” Mr Freckleton told Coroner Elisabeth Armitage.
“He imputes a variety of slurs against the executive, including that they’re narcissists, liars and cowards and similar. It describes one senior member of the Northern Territory Police force as a clown who has taken over a castle.”
Mr Freckleton then suggested the opinion letter could be taken as an attempt to “intimidate the two members of the executive” who will be testifying in the coming week at the inquest.
“If that is his motive, it is an attempt to pervert the course of justice,” he said. “It is a gross and blatant attempt to interfere with your inquest.
“It will fail. But the attempt to interfere with the process troubles us grievously.”
Mr Freckleton said the NT Police executive was concerned about the recent opinion piece and had “taken action already” by serving Constable Rolfe’s lawyer with another Section 79 disciplinary notice.
“He appears to think he can write and say anything, no matter how hurtful in pursuit of some sort of campaign,” Mr Freckleton said. “A robust consequence will follow.”
Constable Rolfe raised the ongoing concerns about Mr Chalker’s involvement with the criminal investigation and the new details recently reported in the NT Independent that appeared to show the police executive “perverted the course of justice” by ignoring DPP advice and using use-of-force experts as witnesses that they knew were not credible to build their murder case.
Thursday, March 23, 2023
Chalker forced to once again deny rumours of his resignation
Jamie Chalker was forced to dispel fresh rumours he had resigned, or planned to resign, claiming the latest rumour was started by “anti-vaxxers and people with agendas”.
Mr Chalker, who was missing from the Chief Minister’s press conference on the Wednesday, three days after the stabbing death of Declan Laverty, called in to Mix 104.9 on Thursday, presumably from Timor-Leste where he has been since Monday morning on government business.
He said the latest rumours of his resignation, aired on Facebook page Action for Alice on Wednesday night, and across community Facebook pages Thursday morning, that he has a new job in SA and would be resigning in May, were not accurate and that he was not resigning from the role.
“No, that’s not the case,” he said. “And if people want to continue to listen to anti-vaxxers and people with agendas, then unfortunately you’ll continue to be misinformed.”
Mr Chalker was also forced to issue an extraordinary statement last May, following the shock resignations of former chief minister Michael Gunner and head public servant Jodie Ryan, stating that he had not resigned as pressure mounted on him to stand down for a number of issues including his alleged interference in charging Constable Zach Rolfe with murder, the executive’s heavy-handed approach on officers, failure to implement mental health and wellness programs and an abundance of “trivial” disciplinary notices being handed out.
Thursday, March 30, 2023
Fyles Govt feared the public would attack during anti-crime rally, email reveals
Jamie Chalker told the public in the week leading up to a Darwin anti-crime rally the event was being organised by unnamed “anti-vaxxers”.
Organisers of the rally, which saw an estimated 3000 people attend, refuted the commissioner’s claims they were “anti-vax” organisers and said the protest had organically come together when they, as victims of crime themselves, started organising it.
“That’s pretty telling of where Chalker’s attitude is at the moment over the public coming together,” one of the organisers told the NT Independent.
“[The claim] was to deter people from coming and he hoped people would question the peaceful rally and not attend. He doesn’t want the focus to be on him. We want the focus on crime in the NT. It’s not about us as a group or individually, we’ve done this for the public to have a voice.
“It isn’t going to be a one off. Obviously the public are annoyed. There were 3000 people who attended and saw it was a peaceful family event.”
Saturday, April 1, 2023
April Fool’s Day started out with the NT Independent publishing an article staring Jamie Chalker’s police commissioner contract had been extended by the Fyles Government for another four years, with Mr Chalker calling the re-appointment an even larger “shot in the arm” to police morale than his original appointment was back in 2019.
We wrote that Chief Minister Natasha Fyles said she was also delighted about the contract extension, telling media in a closed press conference that Mr Chalker had accomplished many things while in the role and that the government hopes he continues “producing the right results”.
“Jamie is one-of-a-kind,” we quoted her as saying. “He absolutely gets what we’re trying to do here and has done his part, if you know what I mean.
“We hope this contract extension will mean he no longer has to go on radio every few months to deny he’s resigning.”
And said Mr Chalker appeared overcome with emotion during the announcement, choking back tears and rambling incoherently about “the truth” and “invisible enemies” and “anti-vaxxers” who he said had tried to harm him before again claiming he was “humbled” by his self-described achievements.
“Now that the truth has come out, it’s a relief,” we said he said.
“I told you all when I was first appointed by my friend Michael Gunner that me taking on the role in the environment in which we understood then, that well, well, that morale in the police had taken a solid shot in the arm – and that was humbling for me when I made that comment about myself – that the only way to interpret the engaged environment that we’re in now is to say this is an even bigger shot in the arm for police morale and that I am even more humbled now than I was then when I made those comments about myself back in that operating environment.
We reported Police Minister Kate Worden said she had no idea Mr Chalker was going to be given a new contract but that she would “go along with it” if it meant she got to keep her hefty ministerial pay packet.
While the CLP also had no comment, in keeping with their internal, unwritten policy not to comment on poor public service appointments by the government.
“We can’t say anything about that because it affects thousands of Territorians every day,” we said a party spokesman said. “And he might have something on us.”
The satirical piece was written to highlight the absurdity of the fact that he remained in the position….
Saturday April 1, 2023
No joke: Chalker on ‘indefinite leave’, not expected to return to Police Commissioner role
Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker had taken indefinite leave with Deputy Commissioner Michael Murphy appointed acting commissioner, following reports the Fyles Government finally asked Mr Chalker to resign on Friday, after years of controversy, the NT Independent reported.
Mr Chalker’s unannounced leave was first reported by Sky News and the NT Independent independently confirmed from reliable sources Mr Chalker has taken indefinite leave.
The news of Mr Chalker’s “indefinite leave” started making the rounds on Saturday morning, shortly after the NT Independent ran the April Fool’s Day story that Mr Chalker had been given a new four-year contract, which highlighted the absurdity of why he remained in the position.
Sources with knowledge of the situation told the NT Independent it was unlikely he would return to the role.
It was unclear what exactly led to Mr Chalker’s indefinite leave, but reports suggested the government had finally told him they had lost confidence in him and requested that he resign.
On Saturday evening, acting Commissioner Michael Murphy sent an internal broadcast to all members saying Mr Chalker was “currently on approved leave”.
The memo did address reports that Mr Chalker was asked to resign.
“NTPFES have not received any official announcements from the NT Government regarding Commissioner Chalker,” the brief memo said.
Mr Chalker’s contract was for four years, which would expire in November.
Sunday, April 2, 2023
Veteran former NT Police Sergeant Ross Martin, who was sacked over producing a controversial T-shirt supporting Constable Zach Rolfe, said Jamie Chalker’s conduct should be evaluated using the same criteria that was used to sack him.
He quoted NT Police Assistant Commissioner Bruce Porter while giving evidence at the Kumanjayi Walker coronial inquest.
“…Police are the custodian of integrity and we need to have the trust of the community in everything that we do…,” Mr Porter said.
“…Integrity is the core to being a police officer. So we are the ones that have to demonstrate integrity and honesty at all times, as per our oath…”
Mr Martin wrote that be did not believe Mr Chalker was fit to hold his position in the Northern Territory Police force.
And he said he wanted Police Minister Kate Worden to know he needed to be dismissed from the position of police commissioner as a public interest dismissal in accordance with S78 of the NT Police Administration Act.
Mr Martin said that in April 2020, he was suspended without pay for producing a T-shirt to support Constable Rolfe after he had been charged with the murder of Kumanjayi Walker during an attempted arrest.
On the front of the shirt was written, “3638, not guilty S28 & 29 NTCCA”, and the rear, “Don’t wanna get shot.. don’t stab a cop – Blue Lives Matter”.
The front of the shirt referred to Constable Rolfe’s registered number, and S28 & 29 NTCCA refer to the excuse provisions afforded in the NT Criminal Code Act for a police officer shooting someone.
He said the shirts were available for purchase, or as a gift to serving members of NT Police, not for the general public.
“As outlined in the legislation, a member may be immediately dismissed from NT Police where the commissioner is of the opinion the member has committed a breach of discipline and it is in the public interest that the member be immediately dismissed,” he wrote.
“The position of police commissioner in any jurisdiction is one of the highest positions of trust and respect that a person can hold. In the NT, it is perhaps even more so as the role is also that of the head of the Fire Service and the Emergency Services.”
In supporting his case, he gave the evidence of Mr Chalker publicly saying he was “shocked” when he heard of the murder against Constable Rolfe despite notes from his detectives showing he was in a meeting with the head of the criminal investigation after they had returned from showing the brief of evidence to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, and just before a meeting where detectives were told to charge the officer.
“As stated, we now know beyond a shadow of reasonable doubt that the commissioner has misled us when he stated he was ‘as shocked as anyone’ when the charges of murder were laid against Rolfe,” he wrote.
“We now know beyond a shadow of reasonable doubt that the commissioner not only knew that murder charges were going to be laid against Constable Rolfe, he knew this before even the commissioned officer in charge of the case, Superintendent Kirk Pennuto, or the commissioned officer overseeing the whole investigation, Commander Martin Dole knew.
“In life in general, integrity matters, as Mr Porter stated.
“For a police officer it is simply not negotiable to always act with the highest levels of integrity. The very highest levels.
“The Police Minister must know Mr Chalker has clearly shown in his words and by his actions that he is a man who lacks the integrity required to be a police officer of any rank, let alone the commissioner.”
He also wrote about the August poll of serving NT Police members where 80 per cent of respondents voted they had no confidence in him as commissioner, along with the online survey calling for him to resign or be sacked, that was signed by more than 9,000 people, and the general negative media attention Mr Chalker had garnered.
Tuesday, April 4, 2023
The NT Independent reported Constable Zach Rolfe had been formally dismissed by the NT Police executive, a spokeswoman had confirmed, which came amid vast leadership turmoil in the police.
A statement from police media said a 31-year-old officer was dismissed from the police force effective April 4, “due to serious breaches of discipline during their policing career”.
The NT Independent understood Constable Rolfe’s lawyer was sent a letter in the previous week informing him that the police, under section 78 of the Police Administration Act, were looking to terminate his employment because of a letter attributed to him and published in this publication in February, in which he referred to outgoing police commissioner Jamie Chalker as a “clown”.
However, the executive released a statement saying the dismissal was effective from today, after first offering to provide 14 days for a response.
It comes just days after it was reported Mr Chalker was told to resign by the Fyles Labor Government for reasons the Chief Minister refuses to explain.
Saturday April 8, 2023
Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker’s lawyers seek mediation with NT government
Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker employed lawyers and called for a mediation between them and NT Government lawyers chaired by an “eminent retired” interstate judge, in the wake of media reports the Fyles Government finally asked Mr Chalker to resign, and with the chief minister refusing to say if she had faith in him.
Mr Chalker’s unannounced leave was first reported by Sky News and the NT Independent independently confirmed from reliable sources that Mr Chalker had taken indefinite leave.
The beleaguered top cop issued a statement through Sydney defamation lawyer Rebekah Giles in which it said Mr Chalker sought to “resolve this unfortunate matter” but did not explain specifically what that matter was.
On its website, Ms Giles’ firm describes itself as “devoted solely to the management of reputational risk”. The statement also said Chalker had engaged top Sydney silk Arthur Moses SC to act for him. Former Australia Post boss Christine Holgate hired the pair over a fight with the postal authority board over her employment contract. Mr Moses represented Ben Roberts-Smith and former federal attorney-general Christian Porter.
“For some weeks there have been a number of media reports in relation to commissioner Jamie Chalker APM, and in particular the Northern Territory Government’s alleged desire for the commissioner to resign,” the statement said.
“It has always been the commissioner’s intention to discharge the important functions of his office for the full term of his contract as well as seek a renewal of that contract to complete important reforms which he has implemented.
“The ongoing speculation in relation to the commissioner is not in the interests of the brave women and men of the Northern Territory Police Force or the public let alone fair to a commissioner who has been discharging his duties with integrity in the interests of the public.”
The statement gave background that his contract was due to end in November and there was the option for a four-year contract renewal in May.
Wednesday, April 12, 2023
Police union accuse Jamie Chalker of double standards over alleged resignation dispute
A fast-tracked mediation using top lawyers, overseen by an interstate judge, that the reportedly former police commissioner Jamie Chalker had called for to resolve his unexplained dispute with the Fyles Government, was a double standard not afforded to regular police, the Northern Territory Police Association said.
Mr Chalker was reportedly told to resign by the government almost two weeks before, while there had been no explanation by the government since as to whether he was still in the job. Since that time when repeatedly asked if she has confidence in him Chief Minister Natasha Fyles had not responded.
However, the NT Police told the NT Independent that as far as the agency was aware Mr Chalker was still the police commissioner, with acting media manager Elle Arnold stating they had not been informed by the government that he was not, and Deputy Commissioner Michael Murphy was acting in the role until Mr Chalker returned from leave on April 19.
Acting NTPA president Lisa Bayliss said the process being sought by Mr Chalker was in stark contrast with the options afforded to the rank and file of the NT Police Force.
“He is seeking fast-tracked mediation using top lawyers, overseen by an interstate judge, while the members of the force are subjected to a protracted dismissal appeals process that can take up to two years just to get a determination,” she said.
“Meanwhile, members can wait months, or even years for the outcome of an internal disciplinary investigation. These double standards are unacceptable and are causing ongoing harm to the morale and confidence of NT police officers.”
Ms Bayliss said if a police force member believed they have been unfairly dismissed, they did not get paid and they had no access to the Fair Work Commission.
“And they have no legitimate recourse except to rely on the NT Government to adequately resource the Tribunal [Disciplinary or Inability Appeal Board] to secure a hearing date, which could be two years after their termination,” she said.
“In the last two years, more than a dozen police officers have resigned their position, instead of facing a lengthy and often traumatic appeals process despite believing they have been unfairly dismissed.
“Veteran police officer Mark Casey was not even afforded the opportunity to resign when faced with dismissal from the NT Police Force.”
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