An inquest into an Indigenous teen’s shooting death by a ex-soldier turned NT policeman has heard the force militarised after the September 11 terror attack.

November 28, 2022

The Northern Territory police force has increasingly militarised since the September 11 terror attacks, an inquest for an Indigenous teenager shot dead by a soldier turned policeman has been told.

Kumanjayi Walker, 19, died after Constable Zachary Rolfe shot him three times during a bungled arrest in Yuendumu, northwest of Alice Springs, on November 9, 2019.

Retired police commander David Proctor told the coroner more than a quarter of the force’s recruits from 2010 to 2020 were ex-Australian Defence Force personnel.

“Militarisation of police, perhaps in Australia but certainly in the NT was increased after 9/11 where there was a significant national increase in terms of the counter terrorism threat,” he said from the witness box on Friday.

Mr Proctor, a veteran with more than three decades on the job, wrote the NT police coronial report into Mr Walker’s death, which highlighted issues for the coroner to explore.

In it he said: “Former military personnel bring important skills, like teamwork, discipline and proficient use of weapons, but it’s not easy for ex-Australian Defence Force members to transition from warriors to guardians”.

“Their training and experience embeds a mindset that doesn’t always align well with the requirements of community policing.”

Mr Proctor agreed with legal counsel that ex-ADF members were more likely to use pepper spray, Tasers and firearms.

He also told the coroner the NT police force did not provide “reprogramming” training for ex-ADF member recruits.

He agreed that paramilitary-style policing where officers believe they are fighting a war was the opposite of community policing.

Const Rolfe and three colleagues ignored a senior officer’s orders when they searched for Mr Walker while armed with an AR-15 assault rifle and a shotgun that fired beanbag rounds.

Mr Proctor said they were undisciplined, armed with military style weapons and had “adopted a paramilitary role focusing on weapons training and tactics”.

“It was a consequence of … the systemic failures relating to supervision, management and compliance with policies and procedures,” he said.

He also agreed Const Rolfe and his team’s actions did not conform with the Peelian principles for policing, which teaches crime prevention without repression.

He said the NT police force needed better monitoring of its member’s use-of-force to prevent incidents, such as Mr Walker’s death, and agreed ex-ADF personnel might be more likely to use excessive force.

Mr Proctor noted in his report that Const Rolfe’s deployment to Yuendumu discriminated and disadvantaged its Indigenous residents.

The inquest continues on Monday with evidence from four witnesses, including Yuendumu community member Elizabeth Katakarinja and doctor Simon Quilty.