| Australian Federal Police | |
| Abbreviation | AFP |
 |
|
| Patch of the Australian Federal Police. | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | October 19, 1979 |
| Preceding agencies |
|
| Employees | 6,598 (30 June 2008)[1] |
| Volunteers | Small numbers for non operations related activity. |
| Legal personality | Governmental: Government agency |
| Jurisdictional structure | |
| Federal agency | Australia |
| Governing body | Parliament of Australia |
| Constituting instrument | Australian Federal Police Act 1979 |
| General nature |
|
| Operational structure | |
| Headquarters | 68 Northbourne Avenue, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia |
| 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 |
9
Australian Hi-Tech Crime Centre
Counter Terrorism Economic and Special Operations Aviation Border International Protection International Deployment Group intelligence |
| Offices |
9
Adelaide Office
Brisbane Office Darwin Office Hobart Office Melbourne Office Perth Office Sydney Office Protective Service, Kingston Winchester Centre, ACT |
| 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. [2]
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.[3]
Contents |
History
The AFP was formed on October 19, 1979 under the Australian Federal Police Act 1979[2] 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. [4] In 1984 the Protective Service component of the AFP was separated forming the Australian Protective Service, subsequently that government agency was transferred back to the AFP in 2004.
Roles and functions
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 [2]. 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. [5]
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), Protective Service Officer , Special Member (Special Constable) and Special Protective Service Officer.
Industrial representation of AFP staff solely rests with the Australian Federal Police Association branch of the Police Federation of Australia.
National
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:
- Illicit drug trafficking
- Organised people smuggling, including sexual servitude and human exploitation
- Serious major fraud against the Government
- High Tech Crime involving information technology and communications
- Preventing, countering and investigating terrorism
- Transnational and multi-jurisdictional crime
- Money laundering
- Organised crime
The AFP hosts the National Missing Persons Coordination Unit, the Australian Interpol National Central Bureau and the Australian Bomb Data Centre.
Community Policing Role
The largest community policing element is that provided to the Australian Capital Territory. This arrangement is contractual and is an agreement between the Australian Government and the ACT Government. This AFP portfolio, ACT Policing, reflects the ACT Police history as one of the key components of 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.
Uniform Protection Role
AFP Uniform Protection provides protective security for the Australian Government at key locations throughout Australia and internationally. Uniform Protection officers perform duties which include static point guarding, bomb appraisals, bomb detection canines, visitor control, alarm monitoring and response, mobile, foot and bicycle patrols, security consultancy services, counter terrorism first response at major and regional Australian airports.
Uniform Protection Officers 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 at major Australian airports.
International Deployment Group
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, Nauru, Tonga, Vanuatu and Afghanistan.
Commissioners since 1979
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 |
Titles and ranks
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.
Policing Ranks
| Original AFP Ranks | Original Broadband Ranks | Initial Title & Role | Current Title & Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Constable / 1st Constable / 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 Ranks
| Protective Service Officer Rank | Internal Title and Role |
|---|---|
| Protective Service Officer | Team member |
| Senior Protective Service Officer (SPSO) | Team Member or Team Leader |
| Inspector | OIC-Station manager |
Additional ranks have been adopted throughout the country in the Aviation Portfolio, reflecting the rank held by the seconded State or Territory Police Force Members, such as different levels within the Constable and Sergeant rank, Inspectors and so on.
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. [6]
| Constable | Senior Constable |
Sergeant |
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See also
- Australian Protective Service
- CrimTrac
- Federal police
- National police
- List of Australian Federal Police killed in the line of duty
- Specialist Response and Security, the Police Tactical Group of the AFP
- Commonwealth Police
- Australian Capital Territory Police
- Australian Federal Police Association
Issues:
Similar agencies in other Nations
Austria
Brazil
Canada
Ireland
New Zealand
Russia
Spain
- National Police Corps
UK:
USA
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
- Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA)
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
- Federal Protective Service
- Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia
- United States Capital Police
- United States Secret Service
References
- ^ a b c http://www.afp.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/89127/AFPAnrep2007-08.pdf Australian Federal Police Annual Report 2007–08 Appendix 4
- ^ a b c http://www.afp.gov.au/about/our_organisation.html Our organisation
- ^ Negus to be sworn in as top cop, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 7 September 2009.
- ^ Documenting Democracy. National Archives of Australia.
- ^ http://www.afp.gov.au/about/framework/ministerial_direction.html
- ^ http://www.comlaw.gov.au/comlaw%5Cmanagement.nsf/lookupindexpagesbyid/IP200401464?OpenDocument
External links
- Australian Federal Police Commissioner, Canberra
- Australian Federal Police Act 1979
- Jobs @ Australian Federal Police
- Australian Federal Police
- Australian Hi-Tech Crime Centre home page
- Australian Government Online
- AUSPOL - Police Welfare Foundation
- Australian Federal Police Association
- Crimes Act 1914 (Cth)
- ABC 4 Corners documentary on the AFP - broadcast 27 Oct 2008
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