Police commander says goodbye to Katherine

The highly-credentialed policeman is on his way back to Darwin and a role with the Police, Fire and Emergency Services College after nearly two-and-a-half years in charge of the NT Police Northern Command at Katherine, but he started out in life as a pineapple farmer at Gympie in Queensland.

When he lost everything in a hailstorm he said farming wasn’t for him and decided on policing as a career.

He’s been in the force in the Northern Territory for 27 years now, and counts the emergency responses to Tropical Cyclones Lam and Nathan, when the entire community of Wurruwi, 450 residents, were evacuated twice, in February 2015 and again a month later, as the biggest challenges he’s faced.

“Lam hit us hard; Elcho Island took considerable damage,” he recalled.

As the regional controller, Commander Porter had to oversee both phases – the response, which involves protection, and then direct recovery and rehabilitation needs.

“There are lots of agencies to deal with in both circumstances – cyclones are a real challenge.”

As if that wasn’t enough, a monsoon low blew up out of nowhere on Christmas Day last year, dumping up to 600mm over parts of the Daly River catchment, forcing the urgent evacuation of 480 people and up to 60 dogs, all by air.

In the understatement of the day, Commander Porter said “we got it all done”.

“There was no indication from the Bureau (of Meteorology) of the rainfall – it was an unprecedented event.

“We had to start planning on Christmas Day, when everyone was away and resources were limited.

“The weather was pretty bad too, which hampered the evacuation response.”

As the person with responsibility for an area encompassing Katherine, Arafura, Arnhem and Western Divisions, covering half of the Northern Territory and 28 police districts, he has had a diverse range of issues to oversee.

The only parts of the NT coastline not under his jurisdiction were Darwin and the Tiwi Islands but in addition to marine matters, mining, pastoral and cultural concerns competed for police attention.

“For example, there are 23 clans at Port Keats alone – there are a lot of cultural issues.”

Community policing – working with communities to solve problems – has been his answer, and he says his officers in very remote stations are valued by those communities as well.

Commander Porter’s abilities, as well as operational duties in both urban and remote locations, over seven years in the Territory Response Group, and three years within the Professional Standards Command overseeing the ethical health of the organisation, have won him numerous commendations including the prestigious Australian Police Medal.

Other career highlights include receiving a Commissioner's Commendation in 1996 for conspicuous duty during a shooting incident in Palmerston where four police officers and a civilian were shot; planning security for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 2000 Trade Ministers forum, involving 350 delegates, and a similar role for the 2005 Arafura Games.

As a bomb technician he was also on the security team for the 2000 Sydney Olympics, receiving an Olympic citation.

When he heads to Darwin mid-August it will be as the commander in charge of indigenous recruitment and selection at the Police Fire and Emergency Services College.

His replacement is Commander Matthew Hollamby, who has previously worked at Katherine as a supervisor.

“He is familiar with its challenges,” Commander Porter said.

Despite the challenges of the job, he says he loves the laid-back country feel of the Territory lifestyle and he hasn’t regretted the move from the Gunalda pineapple farm.

“If you enjoy the outdoors, it’s the place to be,” he said. “And I love fishing.”

Look out barra, Bruce is on his way.