After the fatal crash near Minyerri on 3 October that brought the NT road toll up to 38 (eight more than this time last year) Remote Sergeant Adam Russell, the OIC Minyerri, decided to make use of Neighbourhood Watch Australasia’s new SPEAK UP Program.
This is being rolled out across remote NT by the Community Engagement Police Officer program. With the assistance of Carpentaria CEPO Sen Const Marcus Tilbrook he presented it to four of the school’s classes on Friday morning, 9 October, 2015.
Sergeant Russell said “everyone in that car came from Minyerri. This was a chance to get the youngsters here to think about what they should do if they came across something like that crash.
“It’s a way of getting them to think about the dangerous things that can happen and what they can do to help. It’s indirect. It doesn’t preach to them about the dangers of this and that. They are telling me what is dangerous.”
The presentations were well-received by the students and they got to play-act what they would do if they saw something happen that should be reported to the Police.
Remote Sergeant Russell said, “SPEAK UP is easy to present. The flip-chart takes the class through when to call 000, when to call 131 444 and when to find a Police Officer.
“The students enjoyed the role-play. I had a couple of volunteers silently act out some drama while another sat back-to-back with Marcus, who acted as the call-taker in Darwin.
“The students were shy, but they got the idea that they had to speak clearly and loudly and to make sure that the operator got everything right.”
By Carpentaria CEPO Sen Const Marcus Tilbrook
Remote Sergeant Adam Russell and teacher Colin McPherson with Minyerri School Year 6 students. 
Remote Sergeant Adam Russell and CEPO Senior Constable Marcus Tilbrook with the Minyerri School year 4 class. 
Remote Sergeant Adam Russell, teachers and Year 7, 8 and 9 students from Minyerri School.
