| Australian Federal Police | |
| Abbreviation | AFP |
| Patch of the Australian Federal Police. | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 19 October 1979 |
| Preceding agencies |
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| Employees | 6,598 (30 June 2008)[1] |
| Volunteers | Small numbers for non operations related activity. |
| Annual budget | A$1.8 billion (2010-11)[2] |
| Legal personality | Governmental: Government agency |
| Jurisdictional structure | |
| Federal agency | Australia |
| Governing body | Parliament of Australia |
| Constituting instrument | Australian Federal Police Act 1979 |
| General nature |
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| Operational structure | |
| Headquarters | Edmund Barton Building, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory |
| Sworn members | 2,855 (30 June 2008)[1] |
| Unsworn members | 2,402 (30 June 2008)[1] |
| Minister responsible | The Hon Brendan O'Connor MP, Member for Gorton, Home Affairs |
| Agency executive | Tony Negus, Commissioner |
| Functions |
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| Offices |
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| Website | |
| http://www.afp.gov.au/ | |
| Footnotes | |
| The Australian Federal Police, while a federal agency, provides policing to dependant Australian on and offshore Commonwealth Territories. | |
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) is the federal police agency of the Commonwealth of Australia. Although the AFP was created by the amalgamation in 1979 of three Commonwealth law enforcement agencies, it traces its history from Commonwealth law enforcement agencies dating back to the federation of Australia's six precursor British self-governing colonies in 1901.
The role of the AFP is to enforce Commonwealth of Australia criminal law and to protect Commonwealth and national interests from crime in Australia and overseas. The AFP is Australia's international law enforcement and policing representative, and the Government's chief source of advice on policing issues.[3]
Since 7 September 2009, the Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police has been Mr Tony Negus, who was sworn in following the retirement of the previous commissioner, Mick Keelty.[4]
Contents |
The AFP was formed on 19 October 1979 under the Australian Federal Police Act 1979[3] after the merging of the former Commonwealth Police and the Australian Capital Territory Police. In November 1979, the Federal Bureau of Narcotics of the Australian Customs Service was transferred to the new agency.[5] In 1984 the Protective Service component of the AFP was separated forming the Australian Protective Service under the Administrative Service and later governed by Attorney Generals Department, subsequently that government agency was transferred back to the AFP in 2004 and is now known as Australian Federal Police Uniform Protection.
The AFP falls within the portfolio of the Home Affairs Ministry, a ministerial position outside of the Cabinet and subordinate to the Attorney-General. The Minister responsible for the AFP is the Minister for Home Affairs, Brendan O'Connor MP .[3] Prior to the creation of this ministerial portfolio with the commencement of Rudd Government in November 2007, the Minister responsible for the AFP was the Minister for Justice and Customs.
Key priorities of the AFP are set by the Australian Minister for Home Affairs, through a 'ministerial direction' issued under the Australian Federal Police Act 1979. The current 'ministerial direction' was issued by the former Minister for Home Affairs, Hon Bob Debus MP, on 12 October 2007.[6]
The AFP enforces Commonwealth law, protects Commonwealth and national interests from crime in Australia, and overseas. The AFP provides community policing to the ACT, the Jervis Bay Territory, Norfolk Island, Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. The AFP provides protective security for (and on behalf of) the Australian Government.
The AFP is Australia's international law enforcement and policing representative, and is the chief advisor on policing issues to the Australian Government. The AFP maintains an extensive international liaison network, officers are posted to 33 international posts. The AFP works closely and collaboratively with all Australian police forces and criminal investigative agencies and Crime Commissions.
The AFP consists of a workforce of over 6500. The Australian Federal Police Act 1979 is the legislative base for the employment of all AFP staff. Each employee is described in the legislation as an AFP Employee, who are then declared as either a Member (Police Officer, Federal agent) or (Uniform Protection Officer)-Protective Service Division. In addition, the Commissioner may appoint any person as a Special Member of the AFP. A Special Member may be given any powers and duties of an AFP member under the Act but is not regarded as a special constable.
Industrial representation of AFP staff solely rests with the Australian Federal Police Association branch of the Police Federation of Australia.
Federal Agents are based in each Australian state and Territory capital city, internationally and form the largest component of the AFP staff, Federal Agents chiefly perform criminal investigative duties.
Current areas of focus for the AFP:
The AFP hosts the National Missing Persons Coordination Unit, the Australian Interpol National Central Bureau and the Australian Bomb Data Centre.
The AFP provides community policing services to the Australian Capital Territory, under a contractual agreement between the Australian Government and the ACT Government. This AFP portfolio, ACT Policing, is the successor of the ACT Police, one of the agencies that was merged to form the AFP in 1979. The mission of ACT Policing is to keep the peace and preserve public safety for the citizens of the ACT. Key sections of ACT Policing include general duties, crime and safety management, criminal investigations, crime prevention, traffic operations and criminal intelligence. The head of ACT Policing is known as the Chief Police Officer of the Australian Capital Territory.
A 2005 review of aviation security in Australia led to the streamlining of security at all major Australian airports, the Aviation portfolio was established as a result of the review. Members of State, and the Northern Territory, police agencies are seconded to the AFP to provide policing services at each of the 11 major Australian airports.
The AFP provides community policing within the mainland Jervis Bay Territory, and the three populated external territories of Norfolk Island, Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.
The AFP provides a mix of United Nations peacekeeping, community policing and advisory roles and services in a number of nations.
AFP Uniform Protection provides physical protection for the Australian Government at key locations throughout Australia and internationally. Uniform Protection officers are firearms and defensive tactics trained, performing duties which include armed escorts, bomb appraisals, bomb detection canines, visitor control, static guarding, alarm monitoring and response, mobile, foot and bicycle patrols, maintain civil disorder, security consultancy services, counter terrorism first response at many Commonwealth establishments. Uniform Protection Officers have powers under Section 14 of the AFP Act 1979 to arrest, stop, search, and request identification in their jurisdiction. Uniform Protection officers undertake a critical role in protecting Australia's critical infrastructure and assist in providing protection for Australian High Office Holders, diplomatic, consular personnel and other foreign nationals.
Uniform Protection Officers providing an armed uniform capability are located at Commonwealth establishments including Parliament House in Canberra; the residences of the Prime Minister and Governor-General; foreign Embassies and Consulates in Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth; the Australian Nuclear Scientific Technology Organisation installation, Joint Defence Facilities (such as the Australian Defence Force Headquarters in Canberra) and sensitive covert locations in Australia and internationally.
Since its inception, the AFP has had a long tradition of involvement in international peacekeeping, policing and capacity development. This portfolio of the AFP, the International Deployment Group (IDG), has increased rapidly in a short time since its inception in 2004. Since 1964, Australia has contributed police officers to the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus. AFP officers also presently serve with the United Nations in East Timor and Sudan. Previous peacekeeping missions have included Haiti, Mozambique, Thailand, Namibia, South Africa and Somalia.
In recent years, Australian Government efforts to assist neighbouring and remote countries with institutional capacity building has led to AFP deployments to Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands (Under the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands), Timor-Leste (Under the Timor-Leste Police Development Program TLPDP, Nauru, Tonga, Vanuatu and Afghanistan.
Liaison Office of the AFP for Europe is located in Belgrade, Serbia. It was opened in 2003, following the closure of the office in Rome, Italy that operated from 1990 to 2002.[7]
To recognise, celebrate and respectfully honour the achievements and commitments made by members of the AFP, the AFP Ceremonial Team conducts and participates in a variety of police and community functions and ceremonies.
Ceremonial events include: Annual National Police Remembrance Day Service at the National Police Memorial in Canberra on 29 September ], medal presentations, parades, police funerals, memorial services, official opening of Police Stations and Policing Facilities, AFP Pipes and Drums concerts, inauguration events and Public relations events
The Ceremonial Team coordinates the AFP Ceremonial and Protocol Officer (CAPO) Network, the AFP Ceremonial Mounted Cadre and the AFP Pipes and Drums to perform ceremonial duties at these functions and ceremonies.
The AFP Ceremonial Mounted Cadre was raised on the 29th September, 2006 at the dedication of the National Police Memorial. The ceremonial uniform comprises linkages to former mounted policing units of the AFP's predecessor organisations, namely the Commonwealth Police and the Peace Officer guard, as well as mounted policing units from the NSW Police Force which patrolled the geographic area of the Australian Capital Territory.
The AFP Ceremonial and Protocol team currently provide Drill Instructor Accreditations for both the AFP and the NSW Police Force, and also provide Ceremonial and Protocol Officer accredition for all of Australia's policing jurisdictions.
The senior AFP officer is the Commissioner of Police, appointed under Section 17 of the Australian Federal Police Act 1979.
| Period | Name |
|---|---|
| 1979–1982 | Sir Colin Woods, KCVO, CBE, QPM |
| 1983–1988 | Major-General Ronald Grey, AO, DSO |
| 1988–1994 | Peter McAulay, AO, QPM |
| 1994–2001 | Mick Palmer, AO, APM |
| 2 April 2001 – 2 September 2009 | Mick Keelty, APM |
| 7 September 2009 – current | Tony Negus, APM |
AFP Commissioner's Order 1 (Administration) states that all Members (Police Officers) are titled Federal Agent, unless undertaking duties in ACT Policing, External Territories, Aviation, International Deployment Group (mission component only), where uniforms are worn.
AFP Commissioner's Order 1 (Administration) states that every AFP Member holds a rank (as detailed below), with the corresponding title and role adopted.
| Original AFP Ranks | Original Broadband Ranks | Initial Title & Role | Current Title & Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Constable / Senior Constable / Leading Senior Constable | Constable | Federal Agent, Team Member | Federal Agent, Team Member |
| Sergeant / Senior Sergeant / Station Sergeant | Sergeant | Federal Agent, Team Leader | Federal Agent, Team Leader |
| Inspector / Superintendent | Superintendent | Federal Agent, Coordinator | Federal Agent, Coordinator |
| Commander | Commander | Federal Agent, Manager | Commander, Manager |
| Assistant Commissioner | Assistant Commissioner | Federal Agent, National Manager | Assistant Commissioner, National Manager |
| Deputy Commissioner | Deputy Commissioner | Deputy Commissioner | Deputy Commissioner |
| Commissioner | Commissioner | Commissioner | Commissioner |
| Protective Service Officer Rank | Internal Title and Role |
|---|---|
| Protective Service Officer (PSO) | Team Member Probationary & Under 4 years service |
| Protective Service Officer (GRADE 1) | Team Member Over 4 years service |
| Protective Service Officer (GRADE 2) | Team Member Supervisor (Where applicable) |
| Senior Protective Service Officer (SPSO) | Leading Hand / Duty Operation Manager |
| Crown Sergeant | OIC-Station Manager |
| Superintendent | Regional Co-ordinator |
| Commander | Divisional Portfolio Manager |
ACT Policing has a title for Members within the Constable level, Senior Constable, which is a reflection of six years of service as a Member, it does not equate with the Senior Constable terminology used within Section 23WA of the Crimes Act 1914, which refers to Members who are Sergeants.[8]
| Constable | Senior Constable |
Sergeant |
Issues:
Austria
Brazil
Canada
Germany
Ireland
New Zealand
Russia
Spain
UK:
USA
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