Aviation
The AFP is the primary law-enforcement agency at eleven major Australian airports including Adelaide, Alice Springs, Brisbane, Cairns, Canberra, Darwin, Gold Coast, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney.
Law-enforcement in Australia’s aviation environment includes deterring, preventing and responding to threats of terror, the investigation of serious and organised crime in the aviation sector and performing a community policing role. These services are delivered through the Unified Policing Model which was implemented in December 2005 in response to the Wheeler Review.
AFP activities in the Aviation environment include:
- targeting serious and organised crime in the air stream
- deterring acts of terrorism
- maintaining a community policing presence
- providing the first response to acts of terrorism and emergency incidents
- collecting and analysing aviation intelligence
- conducting investigations.
The AFP works collaboratively with State and Territory police services, Commonwealth agencies, airport operators and airlines to coordinate action against terrorist and other criminal threats to Australian aviation safety and security.
The Aviation portfolio also works very closely with many other functions of the organisation, including the AFP Operations Coordination Centre, Intelligence, Protection, Border and International, Economic and Special Operations and High Tech Crime Operations.
131 AFP (237)
The AFP works collaboratively with State and Territory police, Commonwealth agencies, and aviation industry partners to safeguard our airports. We value information received from our partners and the public.
If you require police presence at an airport, or wish to report an incident or provide information, please call the AFP on 131 AFP (131 237).
Changes to the Unified Policing Model
In December 2009, the Government announced its intention to move forward with significant reforms to the AFP’s funding arrangements and to the policing arrangements at Australia’s major airports as part of the Government’s response to the Federal Audit of Police Capabilities.
The Federal Audit of Police Capabilities titled New Realities: National Policing in the 21st Century outlines in detail the recommendations relating to the future model of airport policing. The report provides specific recommendations in relation to Commonwealth’s law enforcement arrangements including the AFP’s capabilities to provide for current and future demands.
Key recommendations relating to Aviation include the staged transition of the Unified Policing Model (UPM) to an ‘All-In’ model of Aviation policing and security over the next three to five years. The ‘All-In’ model means that the AFP Aviation function will transition the UPM to a workforce structure staffed by sworn AFP members across the 11 major airports. This will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the AFP in providing airport policing and security services. Cooperative State and Commonwealth arrangements in place for the Joint Airport Investigation Teams and Joint Airport Intelligence Groups will remain.
The Aviation function has established Project Macer to develop and manage an implementation plan which will give effect to the government’s decision on a future model of airport policing. The AFP will consult with stakeholders, all affected AFP appointees and their nominated representatives to seek input into the transition strategies in greater detail.
Factsheets
- Unified policing at airports
- Counter-terrorist first response capability
- Airport uniform policing
- Regional rapid-deployment teams
- National canine capability
- Air security officers
- Reduce Aviation Freight Theft project
Related links
- Minister for Home Affairs announcement – media release, 14 December 2009
- AFP role at airports enhanced – media release, 14 December 2009
- New Realities: National Policing in the 21st Century , Mr Roger Beale AO, Federal Audit of Policing Capabilities 2009
- Budget includes significant boost to airport security - 2006-07 Budget media release (Attorney-General's Portfolio Budget page)
- Securing and Policing Australia's Major Airports - Joint Media Release, 7 June 2005 (Minister's website)
- Council of Australian Governments - Special Meeting on Counter-Terrorism 27 September 2005 (COAG website)