Northern Territory Police Force

Came under Commonwealth control on 1 January 1911, when the Northern Territory was transferred from South Australia under the Northern Territory Acceptance Act 1910; the force itself had been founded by South Australia in 1870. It had no Commonwealth predecessor.

1. 14 November 1916Administration of the Northern Territory, including its police, passed from the Department of External Affairs to the new Department of Home and Territories.
2. 1927With the territory divided into North Australia and Central Australia under the Northern Australia Act 1926, police in each part were responsible to the respective Government Resident until the territory was reunited in 1931.
3. 10 December 1928Territory administration passed to the Department of Home Affairs.
4. 12 April 1932Territory administration passed to the Department of the Interior.
5. 26 April 1939Territory administration passed to the new Department of the Interior created in the April 1939 reorganisation.
6. 11 May 1951Territory administration passed to the Department of Territories.
7. 28 February 1968Territory administration returned to the Department of the Interior.
8. 19 December 1972Territory administration passed to the new Department of the Northern Territory.
9. 27 March 1975Responsibility for the force passed to the new Department of Police and Customs, together with the Commonwealth Police and the Australian Capital Territory Police.
10. 22 December 1975Moved to the second Department of the Northern Territory when the Department of Police and Customs was abolished.

Passed to the Northern Territory Government on 1 July 1978, when the territory attained self-government.

• General policing of the Northern Territory
• Maintenance of law and order in remote districts
• Administrative duties for the territory administration

Last in the portfolio of Department of the Northern Territory.

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Some dates or links for this organisation are not fully confirmed. Corrections are welcome.