Almost a week after a survey of Northern Territory Police officers showed a majority "do not have confidence" in the force's leadership, Commissioner Jamie Chalker has rejected calls for his resignation.
On his way to speak at a closed-door meeting of NT Police Association delegates today, Commissioner Chalker told waiting media that surveys are "never going to be popular for police management".
"Have you considered tendering your resignation?" the Commissioner was asked.
"No," he said.
A survey of 1,044 police officers – the highest number of participants in an NT police union survey ever – revealed 79.7 per cent of surveyed officers did not have confidence Commissioner Chalker.
And 92.6 per cent of respondents said they did not think there were enough officers in the Northern Territory to carry out the work expected of them, while 79.4 per cent rated morale in the force as low or very low.
Urgent staffing review needed, police union claims
Union president, Paul McCue, said the results showed the force was in "complete crisis" and that morale was at an "all-time low".
"There clearly needs to be an urgent review into staffing which is completely insufficient to undertake the roles our members are being forced to do," he said.
The survey came after multiple police regions requested a vote of no confidence in the police commissioner, ahead of the union's annual conference this week.
The commissioner has not held a press conference or spoken publicly since March.
On his way to speak at a private session of the police association conference, Commissioner Chalker said he was looking forward to meeting with union delegates.
"We have some good themes that have come out of that [survey] and I'm looking forward to the meeting with the delegates to have a chat about it," he said.
"We've been through some pretty extraordinary times in the NT, the last two-and-a-half to three years have been very very challenging … and we need a collective effort to work through it."
According to an order of business document seen by the ABC, Commissioner Chalker was scheduled to address delegates on a panel, along with Deputy Commissioner Murray Smalpage and Acting Deputy Commissioner Michael White.
Both deputies reaffirmed their support for Commissioner Chalker as they entered the conference.
In an internal email to union members last week, Mr McCue said the results of the survey and "any further action to be considered" would be discussed at the annual conference.
Police Minister Kate Worden is expected to address the conference at an open session on Friday.
