The Lawler Labor Government is continuing to deliver its common sense plan to lower crime and improve community safety by providing a major funding boost to the Northern Territory Police Force's Forensics Science Branch for major upgrades.
The Police Forensics Sciences Branch will receive an additional $25 million, with $5.4 million being invested this year, and $4.8 million more each year for the four years to follow, to employ 12 more staff and provide resources which are able to identify evidence and persons of interest more quickly and accurately, reducing the time potential criminals are on our streets.
Further adding to the Police Force's Forensics capabilities is an innovative partnership with Charles Darwin University (CDU). This partnership will enable collaboration between NT Police Scientists and CDU Researches who will be using brand new cutting edge technology to solve and prevent crime.
The new cutting edge technology is a Scanning Electron Microscope, it can produce magnifications of up to 200,000 times the human eye and is able to extract the highest quality data from smears, minute contact traces, microscopic samples and more. This machine, combined with another piece of advanced technology knows as the X-ray Diffractometer will be utilised by Police to solve crimes.
The half a million dollar suite of technology, which is the first of its kind in the Northern Territory, will allow Police to conduct specific testing which they currently have to go interstate for, drastically reducing the time to solve criminal matters and potently stop further crimes from occurring.
The Lawler Government is investing an extra $570 million over five years into our Police force to deliver an extra 200 sworn officers, 25 more 000 call takers, new vehicles and upgraded infrastructure through a dedicated $125 million police infrastructure package.
Quotes attributed to Chief Minister Eva Lawler:
"We're delivering more funding, more technology and more resources to police to catch criminals quicker and get them off our streets."
"This new state-of-the-art equipment for the Forensics Science Branch will help police gather evidence to put away offenders.
"Nothing is more important than keeping Territorians safe and that's why I'm delivering record funding to Police as part of my common sense plan to lower crime and improve community safety."
Quotes attributed to Minister for Police Brent Potter:
"Forensics evidence plays a critical role in locking up criminals, and today's investment by the Lawler Labor Government will make the Police Force's capabilities stronger and faster.
"Together the new partnership with CDU, upgrades to Police Forensics and 12 additional staff will increase proficiencies in solving crimes and could potentially prevent further crimes from occurring."
Northern Territory Government
