Palm Island police requested defence force helicopters and flyovers during rioting sparked by an Aboriginal death in custody 11 years ago, a court has heard.
A coroner's report into the death of Palm Island man Mulrunji Doomadgee sparked unrest, which led to the local police station and home of arresting officer Senior Sergeant Chris Hurley being burnt to the ground in November 2004.
In a police running sheet read to a Federal Court trial in Townsville on Thursday, Acting Chief Superintendent John Howell wrote that the defence minister had been contacted on the day of the unrest.
"One request has been processed for a Chinook helicopter," the document said.
"Army have been requested for a low flyover."
The contents of the sheet, which was updated as the riots unfolded, were put to Inspector Joe Kitching on Thursday.
The police officer, who was a detective senior sergeant when he was put in charge of the major incident room during the riot, said he didn't have anything to do with the requests for assistance.
But the fact that the ADF stopped being mentioned in the report indicated they were denied, he said.
The class action, launched by once-jailed rioter Lex Wotton on behalf of Palm Islanders, alleges the police response to the riots, including an emergency declaration, was excessive and racially discriminatory.
The court heard police referred to "ATSIs" (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders) and "Non ATSIs" in the running sheet during the riots.
"I'm asking for an explanation why there's a distinction based on race in a police document," Justice Debra Mortimer said.
Mr Kitching said he had personally used the term and was comfortable with it.
Justice Mortimer will determine whether the community should be compensated.
The trial continues.
