Police Minister Brent Potter says the new youth detention centre is expected to be open by the middle of the year after Don Dale detainees got onto the roof on Friday, reportedly to protest against lockdowns.

The Minister also told Katie Woolf the youth co-responder model, which sees Territory Families staff work alongside police will be continued.

Mr Potter says 80 youth have been taken off the streets and to a safe place since the trial began in December in Darwin and Alice Springs.