Police Commissioner Martin Dole has appointed Commander James J. O’Brien as acting deputy commissioner, leap-frogging him over four assistant commissioners and three acting assistant commissioners, in a move labelled “very odd” and a “massive slap in the face to all the staff ranked above him” by a former officer, but described as a “common occurrence” by the top cop.
The controversial appointment follows the October release of the damning but flawed Justice Alan Blow report into NT Police executive promotion and appointment processes that found “many shortcomings” requiring immediate action, while also exposing an internal war amongst senior ranking officers over unresolved allegations of favouritism, bias and “undeclared or unmanaged conflicts of interest” that continues to affect the NT Police’s culture and morale.
Lets not forget absolutely shocking job decisions are made daily by the rest of the 28000 Public Servants in the NTPS!
Please remove the Merit guidelines and Merit training!
Round and round we go. Never learn, never change. Acting Deputy in place for when the substantive role is announced.