By ERWIN CHLANDA
“You can’t arrest your way out of these problems” is a widely recognised principle in dealing with crime. For example, Alice Springs Police Commander Craig Laidler mentioned it in 2020 in an interview with the Alice Springs News.
Four years later, with a new government doing a lot of chest beating about law and order, that concept has clearly been forgotten.
Police Commissioner Michael Murphy said on Tuesday, via a media release, that Operation Ludlow had delivered “significant results” between November 14, 2025 and February 3, 2025.
The only reason given by the Commander for his view was that Ludlow had resulted in 301 arrests.
He had nothing to say about any initiatives to prevent crime, especially youth crime, nor work with parents and NGOs.
When Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro outlined her government’s focus areas to “further” reduce crime in 2025, cops were front and centre: Police retention bonus to keep experienced officers on the beat; remote police infrastructure; better police powers; drone operations; corrections master plan and a new women’s prison.
However, Ms Finocchiaro proposal for boot and work camps are showing some promise, along with “expansion of the Circuit Breaker program to protect children and intervene at the first signs of trouble”.