Zachary Rolfe to be retired from NT police after psychological and risk assessments

A Northern Territory police officer who shot and killed an Indigenous teenager is due to be retired from the force based on psychological and risk assessments.

NT police assistant commissioner, Bruce Porter, told an inquest into the death of Kumanjayi Walker on Monday that constable Zachary Rolfe had been issued with a notice of the intention to stand him down from duty.

Porter said that the decision to retire Rolfe had been made on the basis of two psychological assessments and a risk assessment from December and January.

Rolfe was suspended from the NT police force shortly after he fatally shot Walker three times during a bungled arrest in Yuendumu, north-west of Alice Springs, in November 2019.

He was subsequently charged with murder but was acquitted after supreme court trial.

Rolfe returned to work in July 2022 but went on personal leave less than a month later.

Porter said he requested the medical examinations after Rolfe indicated to the inquest in November that he would not be returning to work without telling his employer the reason.

Police are also awaiting an explanation from Rolfe after he published a 2,500-word open letter 10 days ago criticising the coroner and NT police.

Earlier, the inquest heard that current cultural awareness programs were inadequate within the NT police force.

She was asked about her experiences leading the justice unit, where she led consultations with more than 120 communities across the NT from 2017 to 2019 as part of a government agreement to reduce rates of Indigenous incarcerations.

She said people expressed concerns about deteriorating relationships with police and the fact that officers wore guns when they visted the area.

The inquest continues this week in Alice Springs, with other representatives from NT police force and territory families expected to give evidence.