Nine government and non-government agencies joined forces to conduct patrols of Alice Springs Town Camps recently to provide welfare and other service assistance to residents.

The patrols included members of the Northern Territory Police, Department of Education and Training, Centrelink, Department of Children and Families, Youth Street Outreach Service, Department of Housing, Local Government and Regional Services, Tangentyere, Alice Springs Women's Shelter, Department of Justice and the Alice Springs Town Council.

Patrol Co-ordinator Senior Sergeant Peter Dash said the patrols had been undertaken on a number of occasions previously and had been well received by the community.

"The intent was to engage with town camp residents, and provide advice concerning social welfare services and education requirements and to assist occupants to access services and address breaches of by-laws among other things," Sen Sgt Dash said.

"This recent exercise was held at Hoppys Camp and Charles Creek Camp in the morning and in the afternoon last Thursday. Staff from the various agencies patrolled the camps and spoke to numerous people including 15 visitors from remote communities who were camping in the adjacent creek bed. They were advised of the short term accommodation available at Apmere Mwerre Visitor Centre.

"Mandatory school attendance issues were also addressed after patrols located seven children who were not attending school. The families of the children were spoken to and advised of the requirements to send children to school.

"When the patrols went through the camps again in the afternoon they discovered a large number of people drinking in public. Police enforced the liquor legislation by arresting a number of people for protective custody and issuing infringement notices."
Senior Sergeant Dash said the combined patrols were considered to be an effective tool to bring services and education to the community at a grass roots level and would continue in the future.
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