Institutional Racism Identified in Police Death of Aboriginal Teen

The investigation into the 2019 shooting of Kumanjayi Walker by Constable Zachary Rolfe has exposed racist attitudes within the Northern Territory Police and raised concerns over systemic issues within the department.

A recent public inquiry into the controversial killing of Kumanjayi Walker, a 19-year-old Aboriginal man shot by police in 2019, has revealed troubling evidence of institutional racism within the Northern Territory Police Department. Coroner Elisabeth Armitage, who conducted a two-year investigation into the incident, concluded that prejudiced attitudes from Constable Zachary Rolfe, the officer involved, were not only present but had been normalized within the police culture in Central Australia.

Walker was shot three times during an attempted arrest in his community of Yuendumu after he allegedly stabbed Rolfe in the shoulder with scissors during a confrontation. The incident drew national attention, prompting widespread protests and discussions around the treatment of Indigenous Australians by law enforcement—a community that suffers much higher rates of arrest and incarceration compared to non-Indigenous individuals.

The coroner's findings highlighted a pattern of overlooked complaints regarding Rolfe's prior violent actions toward Aboriginal individuals, as well as disturbing revelations that he had shared videos of aggressive police actions with acquaintances as entertainment. Despite being charged with murder, Rolfe was acquitted in a jury trial in 2022, igniting further public outcry over apparent systemic issues within the police force.

Addressing the community previously affected by this tragedy, Armitage asserted, “I am satisfied that Mr. Rolfe was racist and that he worked in and was the beneficiary of an organization with hallmarks of institutional racism.” Her conclusions, presented in Yuendumu, come at a pivotal moment in Australia’s ongoing discourse around race and policing, shedding light on the need for reform and accountability within law enforcement agencies.