Zach Rolfe formally dismissed from NT Police after 'serious breach of discipline'

Former Canberra man Zachary Rolfe, who was acquitted on murder charges last year, has been formally dismissed from the Northern Territory Police Force.

His severance is not directly connected in any way to the murder charges he faced last year in the NT Supreme Court or events at Yuendumu on the night of Kumanjayi Walker’s death by police shooting in 2019.

An NT Police spokesman said Constable Rolfe had been dismissed due to a serious breach of discipline. It’s understood this breach relates to a 2500-word statement published online last year.

Mr Rolfe made the statement during an inquest into the 2019 police shooting death of Kumanjayi Walker.

In the course of the inquest, a series of texts from Constable Rolfe using racist language was released. In his statement, which was also tendered to the inquest, Constable Rolfe apologised for his language but said he had been “painted as a racist” by the selective use of messages.

He also made a series of serious allegations about how the investigation into Mr Walker’s death had been handled and was strongly critical of the NT Police executive leadership and the coronial inquest process.

But Counsel Assisting the Coroner, Dr Peggy Dwyer, told the inquest that Constable Rolfe’s statement contained misinformation and created an incorrect impression that the focus of the inquest was on Constable Rolfe rather than the broader circumstances leading to Mr Walker’s death and how similar situations could be handled differently in the future.

She noted that the transcript for the inquest was a matter of public record and offered to publish all 8000 pages of messages downloaded from Constable Rolfe’s phone.

Constable Rolfe had been formally directed on several occasions that he must comply with the NT Police social media policies and obey directions regarding media interviews.

Ian Freckleton KC, acting for the police, told the 2022 inquest that police were “extremely concerned” about Constable Rolfe’s conduct as a serving police officer. Dr Freckelton said he “could not have been under any illusion as to what his obligations were at the time he saw fit to pen the publication”.

Constable Rolfe had been placed on a 12-month good behaviour agreement by NT Police after making what were described as “improper and unprofessional comments”.

On Tuesday, NT Police issued a statement saying a 31-year-old officer had been issued a formal notice of dismissal under section 78 of the Police Administration Act 1978 due to serious breaches of discipline during their policing career.

Mr Rolfe’s lawyers have indicated that he will appeal the NT Police decisions and exercise all legal options open to him regarding the process, lawfulness and merits of the decision. There was no further comment from Mr Rolfe, who has been overseas for some time.

Mr Rolfe was acquitted of murder in the NT Supreme Court on grounds of self-defence after the jury heard that he had acted in good faith and the reasonable performance of his duties after being stabbed in the shoulder with a pair of scissors.

Judge Armitage, the coroner for the inquest, said many people had seen the media coverage of the Supreme Court trial, read reports of his acquittal and seen the body camera footage of the shooting.

“You might wonder whether there is anything more to say,” she said.

“During this inquest, I am inviting everyone to look a little deeper and listen a little longer because I think there is more to learn from, and more we need to try and understand, about this story.”