Northern Territory Police maintained a strong, high-visibility presence throughout the 2026 Alice Springs Show, helping ensure one of Central Australia’s largest community events remained safe and enjoyable for thousands of attendees.
Across the two-day event, members from the Community Safety Engagement Team, supported by specialist police resources including the Alice Springs Drone Unit, Strike Force Viper and Mounted Unit, conducted proactive patrols, responded to incidents and engaged with showgoers.
Throughout the operation, police responded to 32 disturbance-related incidents within the showgrounds and removed 60 people for anti-social behaviour, including a number of intoxicated patrons.
Officers also conducted 360 wand searches, resulting in the seizure of two knives, a broken pair of scissors that had been modified into a weapon, multiple medical scissors and 10 fireworks before they could be brought into the event.
Several arrests were made during the operation, including:
- One adult for fighting in public;
- One 16-year-old for possessing a controlled weapon; and
- One man for breaching a Domestic Violence Order.
As crowds left the showgrounds, officers continued patrols throughout Alice Springs, responding to a further nine large disturbances and undertaking 38 targeted patrols to prevent further incidents.
Acting Assistant Commissioner James Gray-Spence said it was great to have police out amongst the community having a highly visible policing presence.
“While we dealt with a number of incidents, our officers intervened early, removed those engaging in anti-social behaviour and seized weapons before they could be used.
“The support of our specialist units, including the Drone Unit, Mounted Unit and frontline officers, allowed us to respond quickly to incidents and prevent situations from escalating.
“I’d also like to thank the vast majority of attendees who came to enjoy the show responsibly and worked with police to help make the event a success.
“The Tennant Creek Show is on this weekend, and the community can expect to see a similar high-visibility police presence. Our officers will once again be out in force, working alongside event organisers to ensure everyone can enjoy the event safely.”
Northern Territory Police thank the Alice Springs Show Society, volunteers, event staff and the wider community for their support throughout the event.
