24 recruits begin the first ever Police Public Safety Officer intake.
18-week training program to tackle anti-social behaviour and enhance public-place policing.
Continued reductions in crime alongside record police recruitment.
The first squad of Police Public Safety Officers has today commenced training at the Northern Territory Police Force College.
The new squad of 24 recruits has begun an intensive 18-week program, before graduating later in June and deploying to Darwin, Palmerston, Katherine and Alice Springs.
This marks the first of three Police Public Safety Officer intakes scheduled for 2026, delivered by the Finocchiaro CLP Government.
Chief Minister and Minister for Police Lia Finocchiaro said the CLP Government laid the groundwork last year for the biggest reform to policing in a generation.
"Our new Police Public Safety Officer stream will bring together police auxiliary streams, public housing safety officers and transit safety officers into a single, dedicated role focused on public-place policing," Mrs Finocchiaro said.
"These officers will be highly visible in the places Territorians need them most, at events, in shopping centres, in public housing, on public transport and in other public spaces.
"In our year of growth, certainty and security, this reform will strengthen visible police presence and tackle anti-social behaviour.
"This is about building safer communities through active deterrence and prevention."
More than 200 police officers graduated last year, and a further three Constable squads will be trained through the Police College in 2026.
In addition to increased police numbers, the Territory has also recorded the highest reduction in the number of victims of crime by 10.2% when comparing January to December 2025 with the same period in 2024.
Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro said that while crime is trending downward, there is more work to be done.
"In 12 months, that's more than 2,700 Territorians who were not victims of crime and did not have their lives turned upside down," she said.
"This year, we will continue that work by delivering the second tranche of our youth justice and sentencing reforms and legislating Family Responsibility Agreements to make contracts between parents and the government enforceable by the courts."
Territory-wide, January to December 2025 compared to January to December 2024:
House break-ins down 32%Commercial break-ins down 28%Motor vehicle theft down 15%Assaults down 6%Domestic violence down 3%
