POLICE – NORTHERN TERRITORY

E Pluribus Unum

E Pluribus Unum Latin: ‘Out of Many, One’

Diversity turns out to be the strength of the Top End Police when it comes to law and order in remote areas. By Senior Constable 1/c Wolfgang Langeneck, Northern Territory Goyder River Crossing

Introduction Policing in remote areas of the Northern Territory is a truly unique job. The climate, wildlife and job challenges are very different to most other parts of the world. So too is the community and, of course, the officers who make up the police force protecting them. It’s interesting that what’s written on the Great Seal of the United States and printed on their one dollar bill is also very true in Australia: E Pluribus Unum – ‘out of many, one’, or more loosely translated: ‘one nation from many people’. Believe it or not, that famous Latin phrase is as appropriate in the Northern Territory as it is in Melbourne or Sydney. The Northern Territory has an incredibly diverse population, both of locals and tourists. I recall a patrol drive along the Central Arnhem Road with a new partner who had many years of police experience ‘down south’. As he didn’t yet have red dirt under his nails we decided to do some driver education. The first truck driver we spoke to was French. The second was a German tourist. My partner in law enforcement began to wonder whether we would ever come across a true blue Aussie. His prayers were answered minutes later: the third driver was a grey-bearded Vietnam veteran happily travelling along with his indigenous wife. The Territory attracts all sorts from many different backgrounds. It’s an easy place to fall in love with and some never go home. Police officers in the Territory deal with as many ethnic groups as the more urbanised jurisdictions along the east coast. In addition, 68 | APJ | June 2011

the percentage of indigenous residents is higher than in any other State. Very often the background of staff manning such areas mirrors the diversity found in the community. This is mainly due to the Northern Territory successfully recruiting local and interstate police officers from all racial and ethnic backgrounds for many years now.

A Challenge Called ‘The Intervention’ When the Northern Territory National Emergency Response Act was passed in 2007, along with the contentious Federal Government’s intervention into indigenous communities, it created further challenges for policing. To support this initiative, members from the Australian Federal Police were seconded to the Northern Territory Police as special members. They were issued with local colours and serve at what are called Themis* stations in remote areas of the Northern Territory. As readers would be well aware, this bold move attracted both national and international media attention. One of the Themis Police Stations is Gapuwiyak in East Arnhem Land. The population of the local community fluctuates between 700 people in the wet season and 1,200 in the dry. In the past this community was also known as Lake Evella, a name stemming from a nearby fresh water source which supplies the community all year ’round. Lake Evella was established in 1969 by the Methodist Overseas Mission (MOM) as an outpost from Elcho Island – now known as Galiwinku.

E Pluribus Unum

POLICE – NORTHERN TERRITORY

Map provided by Northern Territory Government Department of Planning and Infrastructure

In 2008, Mickey was interviewed by the ABC and asked why the economic success did not continue: “In the early 80s the Government took over. One of the first things they had in mind was to deal with the safety regulations of the sawmill.” However, the safety upgrades needed were substantial and resulted in it eventually having to shut down. Once the major source of employment in Gapuwiyak had closed, the dependence on Government benefits increased, which was followed by an increase in alcohol and substance abuse. Where the sawmill once stood there is now the local store and the old mill machinery is now rusting away near the Gapuwiyak football oval.

The Calm After the Storm With the establishment of a permanent Gapuwiyak Police Post in 2007, the community slowly began to enjoy the peacefulness it deserved and with that the opportunity for development. Having three officers gazetted to the station ensures that one officer can follow up court commitments, participate in a course or take leave without compromising the safety of colleagues.

Wolfgang Langeneck joined the Northern Territory Police Force in 2003. He served in various areas in General Duties as Senior Constable First Class and Brevet Sergeant. From April 2007 to April 2010 he was seconded to the AFP Airport Police in Darwin which included a stint with AFP National Media in Canberra. In May 2010 he took on a bush posting in East Arnhemland as part of operation Themis. He was contributing author to the book ‘Grenzen ökonomischen Denkens’ (German: ‘About economic borderlines’) published by Prof. Dr. Hans A.Wüthrich of the University of Armed Forces (Universität der Bundeswehr) in Munich, Germany, in 2001. The author is a qualified Bachelor of Engineering and Master of Journalism.

About the Author

By the mid 70s, Gapuwiyak had a thriving industry of cypress pine harvesting and milling, which included the supply of a large amount of timber to Darwin following Cyclone Tracy. Local elder Mickey Wunungmurra speaks fondly of the early boom days of the Gapuwiyak settlement. “It was a time of pride. Most men were employed at the local sawmill. There was work for all,” he said.

© Wolfgang Langeneck retains exclusive copyright of this article and no part may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from him.

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POLICE – NORTHERN TERRITORY

E Pluribus Unum

Gapuwiyak Police Post

Checking telecom emergency equipment at an outstation

Although Gapuwiyak was never considered ‘dysfunctional’ like other communities, it has had its moments and, on occasions, still has. Prior to ‘The Intervention’, alcohol and marijuana were abundantly available and Gapuwiyak was policed from Nhulunbuy. The road from Nhulunbuy is 220km of red dirt to the east. That means it took a minimum of two hours before police could arrive, which made it easy for offenders to avoid police. Nhulunbuy was once known as Gove, in memory of Flight Sergeant William Gove, who was killed in action during World War II, on 20 April, 1943.

police all took part in the meetings which resulted in the club developing a broad ‘Code of Conduct’ for future games. Flexibility in rostering then made it possible for police to provide high-visibility patrols and be in the area before, during and after games. One of the keys to community support was ensuring that local officers were out and about in the community, listening to concerns and providing input. Familiar faces are remembered when the going gets tough.

While police in Gapuwiyak are confronted less and less with drug or alcohol-related offences, the danger of substance abuse by youths remains ever present. Due to ‘The Intervention’, petrol is no longer easily available to young people with addiction problems; however, some have now turned to sniffing paint and thinners. The younger generation is also over represented when it comes to domestic incidents as many become parents at a very young age and generally haven’t fully developed the mechanisms to cope with parental responsibility.

The support of elders, who chair the football committee or take on the role of a spokesperson like Mickey, is crucial to the success of remote-area policing. Every new member in a remote station is judged by the attitude they show towards the indigenous population, especially towards the elders and children. When things go wrong, criticism can be widespread, however, when police officers show an interest in and respect for the local community and the people, the support can be overwhelming.

Community Spirit

To ease football conflicts, local police approached the Gapuwiyak football club committee. Umpires, coaches, captains, and local

One evening a young man, apparently under the influence of paint fumes he had just sniffed, tried to throw a steel bar against the back of a police car. Within seconds the police car was surrounded by the four wheel drives of local elders who intervened. A couple of moments later the young man was restrained by family members. Such incidents clearly signal that the communication and respect between local elders and police is functioning, and functioning well. But what is probably more important is the fact that locals are proud of their hometown and want it to be a peaceful community.

Central Arnhem Road Safety Patrol

Part of the job – removing a fallen tree on the Central Arnhem Road

Far From a Perfect World Social order problems still occur, especially after local football games. Indigenous communities, like many Australians, love their sport and like everyone they want their team to win! If the result is close, the umpire’s decisions are sometimes doubted and can end in heated discussions and, on occasion, near-riots.

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E Pluribus Unum

POLICE – NORTHERN TERRITORY

Machinery 1 – from the old saw mill rusting away near the Gapuwiyak football oval

Gapuwiyak Airport Fence with prescribed area explanation

Learning From and About Each Other

rivers, in snorkel-equipped 4WDs, doing even routine road safety patrols or checking up on emergency equipment at outstations.

Positive interaction between community and police can happen more often. One way to do this is through education. Police need to explain to the locals the reasons for the laws, not just what the laws are. Explain to people why it makes sense to register cars and firearms. Then use opinion leaders in the community to help spread the message. We have also encouraged the youth workers to pass the word on why some juveniles go to court when they commit an offence and others are dealt with by diversion schemes and to explain the effects of a restraining order on future employment opportunities. These principles, of course, apply to any community but are especially important when living and working in remote, isolated communities. When things are explained fully and make sense to people, they lose their distrust of authority and become more engaged with their local police. It goes back to the old saying that ‘communication is a police officer’s best weapon’. At Gapuwiyak we started something like a ‘mobile police station’. When time allows we set up camp on the veranda of the local Art Centre, which also serves as the local courthouse every four months. We listen, answer questions and identify or address issues which can be as simple as certifying copies of someone’s documents.

Out and About Apart from routine police work, a posting in the Northern Territory bush keeps its promise to some wild childhood dreams. You get a sense of real adventure when crossing crocodile-infested

Art Centre Gapuwiyak – Police engaging with class

Preparedness and awareness is the key when it comes to enforcing marine and fisheries legislation. Likewise, police officers have to be able to conduct search and rescue operations on waterways. To prepare, officers must undergo a Small Boat Handler’s Course. Who would want to miss out on that one? Duties also include overnight camping patrols and lots of travel on small aircraft from unsealed airstrips in sometimes treacherous conditions. Not for the faint-hearted! Whether it is from a policing perspective or a personal view, once you have served in a Northern Territory remote area you won’t run out of stories to tell your grand-children in that rocking chair amongst the gum trees. A

End Note *Themis was the Titan goddess of divine law and order – the traditional rules of conduct first established by the gods. She was also a prophetic goddess who presided over the most ancient oracles, including Delphoi. In this role, she was the divine voice (themistes) who first instructed mankind in the primal laws of justice and morality, such as the precepts of piety, the rules of hospitality, good governance, conduct of assembly, and pious offerings to the gods. In Greek, the word themis referred to divine law, those rules of conduct long established by custom. Source: www.theoi.com/Titan/TitanisThemis

Police vehicle after crossing

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