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From Maningrida to Manhattan

Four years after launch of the Commonwealth’s ‘Emergency Response’ to combat child abuse in the Northern Territory, several oicers deployed to assist under AFP Operation Pleach are now mentoring Indigenous athletes under Robert de Castella’s Indigenous Project.

he core duties of AFP members Commander Operation Pleach and AFP more broadly committed under Operation Pleach have Superintendent Andrew Warton support to the project. remained steady since their arrival, and Indigenous athlete, 22-year- but the scope of their work has old Juan Darwin, are central to this Superintendent Warton has been widened signiicantly. Several story—a story that has culminated the voluntary Assistant Team members recently mentored in far reaching community policing Manager and mentor to Juan young Indigenous athletes under beneits in the Territory. Darwin from Maningrida in Arnhem the Indigenous Marathon Project. Land since that time. And the he ultimate vision of the project In late 2009, Superintendent policing beneits, he believes, have is to have an Indigenous distance Warton and Northern Territory been many. Police members attached to the running athlete compete in the “Policing remote Australian 2016 Olympic Games. Northern Territory Emergency Response team were asked to communities is an extremely Managed by former long distance identify potential Indigenous challenging endeavour for which runner and , athletes willing to train and attempt there are two basic approaches—try Robert de Castella, the Indigenous to run the New York Marathon. to do it all yourself as police, or Marathon Project began with four engage the community and work Indigenous athletes training for From early police assistance to the together,” he said. the New York Marathon. heir goal project, the initial role quickly grew as police in remote Indigenous “As the year progressed, there were was achieved in November last visible signs that Juan’s extended year and a documentary on the communities and towns gave up their own time to mentor the family and community were quite project, Running to America, will athletes. Northern Territory Police comfortable with the regular police air mid 2011. But the work of AFP mentors continues.

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and the Top End in-between

interaction and knew that the operational roles, and to the joint // he police have police were on his side towards Northern Territory Police and AFP New York.” Child Abuse Taskforce. enabled us to keep in touch with our runners With the overall training regime With the New York Marathon goal managed by coach John Bell, the attained, the AFP and Northern throughout the role of the police mentors was Territory Police involvement with Northern Territory and to provide training and general the project continues. Robert have been invaluable support to the athletes. In the case de Castella’s vision of seeing an of Superintendent Warton, it was to Indigenous Australian long distance in assisting with travel complete the New York Marathon athlete on the 2016 Australian in and out of the with Juan and three other Olympic team is the next step. he Indigenous athletes; Caleb Hart and AFP’s support over time will be communities. // Charlie Maher from Alice Springs, crucial in making this happen. and Joseph Davies from Kununurra. “he police have enabled us to Seconded to the Northern Territory keep in touch with our runners 01: Superintendent Andy Warton at the Police in his role as Operation throughout the Northern Territory crossroads between Maningrida and Commander, Superintendent and have been invaluable in Oenpelli in remote Arnhem Land. 02: Warton has been responsible assisting with travel in and out of Federal Agent Warton, Juan Darwin, for the management of up to the communities, helping organise son Tysel, wife Shannon and Robert de 66 AFP personnel deployed to training runs and events, and also Castella in Maningrida. 03: Marathon remote Indigenous communities in being such positive role models runners make their way across the Brooklyn Bridge in New York.

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Juan Darwin—more than a surname

He’d never run more than ive kilometres in his life, yet last year Juan Darwin packed up his belongings in the community of Maningrida in eastern Arnhem Land to take up further training opportunities in Darwin. Superintendent Warton said he was 04 impressed by Juan’s commitment to training for the New York Marathon. accessible by road during the wet season. At least 10 diferent languages are spoken // My uncle’s “his of itself showed a high degree of in the area where Juan is the captain of the proud, my mum’s commitment to achieving his goal while local Baru football team and a volunteer his wife and young child remained his football umpire. proud, my nanna’s main concern.” proud. When he Running in New York was only one hurdle hroughout the journey Juan encountered to overcome along the way. Having never grows up, me and a number of extended family issues, and travelled overseas before, Juan needed my son, we’ll go in discussing family and tradition, exposed an Australian passport. Quite a challenge, for runs. And train. Superintendent Warton to privileged cultural especially when he did not have photo information never usually spoken about in identiication. It was established that ‘Darwin’ And I’ll tell him certain circles. was not Juan’s actual surname, just the stories. // name by which he was always known. he journey that began in remote took participants to the streets of New York It took nearly four months to satisfy all the 04 (this page): Marathon runner and involved a 12 month commitment to requirements for Juan’s passport, and the Juan Darwin. 05 (opposite): From regular training camps around Australia, day of collection was a celebrated milestone. left, Superintendent Andy Warton, including one week at the Australian Institute It is not a common document to have in Juan Darwin, Joseph Davies, of Sport in . remote Maningrida. Charlie Maher, Caleb Hart and Indigenous Marathon Project “Before departing for Darwin, Andy and I Juan is continuing his running and was Manager Rob de Castella. 06: Juan were doing team work, pool sessions and recently responsible for coordinating a fun Darwin and Superintendent Andy stuf like that. Normally we’d go for runs at run in his home community. Warton in front of the Northern he Darwin Runners and Walkers Club. I’d be Territory Police Airwing plane. “My uncle’s proud, my mum’s proud, my home and Andy would come and pick me up he aircraft was essential during after work and we’d go for a run,” Juan said. nanna’s proud,” Juan said. the project to reach remote communities. 07: Superintendent “When he grows up, me and my son, we’ll Maningrida can only be accessed via a Andy Warton and Juan Darwin at go for runs. And train. And I’ll tell him stories.” Northern Land Council permit and is not the Darwin Runners and Walkers Club. Page 27 // Platypus Magazine // Edition 109 // March 2011

to these young men, their families “It has become clear to me that “Whether or not Juan and his fellow and their communities,” said Mr the key qualities of a mentor are as athletes run again, this has been a de Castella. applicable in the AFP workplace positive lesson in life for all, and as as they are with Juan in remote a mentor, it has been an absolute Superintendent Warton said Maningrida,” Superintendent privilege to be involved.” the experience has led to many Warton said. beneits, from the strengthening of police and Indigenous youth “First, helping someone achieve a // It has become relationships, to the realisation of long term and diicult goal brings clear to me that mentoring as a way of improving a great sense of satisfaction. relationships not just between Secondly, as a mentor, acquiring the key qualities police and youth, but as a a new perspective outside the of a mentor are as management skill applicable to policing box, makes for a better all applicable in the his own team. round manager. While mentoring builds strong individuals, it also AFP workplace As the project unfolded, some helps build stronger organisations.” as they are with parallels between the project mentoring role and the role of Juan in remote a manager for the AFP began Maningrida. // to emerge.

08: Juan Darwin and Joseph Davies at an Australian Institute of Sport gymnasium. 09: Juan Darwin (front), Joseph Davies (middle) and Rueben Brown (back) train in central Australia.

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Time to make their mark

Juan Darwin: 4h50m. Superintendent Warton: 4h53m.

With world champion Rob de Castella waiting for them at the inish line, they had successfully achieved their goal.

After nearly 12 months of training and other preparation, Indigenous athletes Juan Darwin, Caleb Hart, Charlie Maher and Joseph Davies had lown to New York accompanied by Rob de Castella, coach John Bell and two police mentors and reached the inish line. A documentary on the Race day saw a 4am start at the hotel in central New York. hey Indigenous Marathon Project, began with an interview for an Australian television station and a one Running to America, will air in hour bus ride to join 45,000 others at the start line. mid 2011. For more information he 42.195km run took the participants through the ive boroughs on the initiative and the plans of Brooklyn, Queens, he Bronx, Manhattan and Staten Island. ahead, please visit www.themarathonproject.com.au With over two million onlookers and 1000 rock musicians and entertainers along the way, the adrenalin rush of the irst 20 kilometres soon disappeared and the hard work began.

10: It took Superintendent Andy Warton (circled) 4h53m to inish the New York marathon. 10