Commonwealth Police

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The Commonwealth Police was the national police / federal police agency for the Commonwealth of Australia. It was formed in December 1919 after the Warwick Incident, in accordance with the Crimes Act 1914^[1] and the War Precautions Regulations 1917.^[2] It was given authority to investigate violations of Commonwealth law to include security intelligence. It also provided community policing services for the Northern Territory and Christmas Island. Later in 1919 it was merged with the Special Investigations Branch to become the Commonwealth Investigations Branch or CIB within the Commonwealth Attorney-General's Department. In 1949 its security duties were spun off and became the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation. Under the Commonwealth Police Act, 1960 it was renamed the Commonwealth Police and opened offices in all the Australian state capitals. In 1975 it was renamed the Australia Police and in late 1975 reverted back to Commonwealth Police. In 1979 it was amalgamated with the ACT Police and the Federal Bureau of Narcotics to become the Australian Federal Police or AFP. In 1984 the protective services were split off and became the Australian Protective Service which were re-amalgamated on 1 July 2004.