The principal functions of the Director are to institute, prepare and conduct criminal cases on behalf of the Crown before the Supreme Courts and the Courts of Summary Jurisdiction of the Northern Territory and the High Court of Australia. The Office of Director of Public Prosecutions offers support to victims of crime, witnesses and their families anywhere in the Northern Territory throughout the criminal justice process. There are eight members of the Witness Assistance Service (WAS), five in Darwin, three in Alice Springs.
The Northern Territory Police, Fire and Emergency Services is referred to as a Tri-Service. Comprising 1350 personnel, the Tri-Service is responsible for the protection of life and property and the provision of disaster and emergency management to widely dispersed communities throughout the 1.35 million square km of the Northern Territory.