Australian Defence Force Investigative Service

The Australian Defence Force Investigative Service (ADFIS) is the body responsible for complex and major investigations involving the Australian Defence Force. The ADFIS conducts investigations of serious incidents and crimes involving persons subject to Defence Force Discipline Act jurisdiction. The ADFIS is a 'tri-service' unit and is manned by 150 members of the Royal Australian Navy, Australian Army and Royal Australian Air Force. It was established in 2007 and is headquartered in Canberra. The ADFIS is commanded by the Provost Marshal ADF who reports directly to the Chief of the Defence Force.

History

The ADFIS was established after a specific recommendation of the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Reference Committee from the report ‘The Effectiveness of Australia’s Military Justice System’ released in 2005. in April 2006, the position of the Provost Marshal of the Australian Defence Force directly under the Chief of the Defence Force was established and the Defence Investigative Capability Audit found the need for a tri-service investigative capability. In October 2006 the Chief of the Defence Force and Service Chiefs agreed to the formation of the ADFIS from the unification of personnel from the policing and investigative capabilities of each Service.

The ADFIS is the unification of the separate policing capabilities of each of the three services, but each service still maintains its own capabilities. The Royal Australian Navy maintains the Naval Police Coxswain branch with NPC postings on HMA ships and shore establishments. The Army maintains the Royal Australian Corps of Military Police which include general duties police officers. The Royal Australian Air Force maintains the Security Police which include an investigative branch and other streams of general duties policing, counter-intelligence and military working dogs.

Members of ADFIS are known as 'Investigators' rather than 'agents' but still hold a rank with in the defence force.

ADFIS in Media

Predator Strike and Resolute Action are novellas by author, Liam Saville featuring the fictional ADFIS Investigator, Captain Sam Ryan.

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