Justice and Law in Australia
From Daily Escape
Australia's legal system, and law enforcement organisations are heavily based on those used in England. The legal systems are virtually identical.
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Law Enforcement
In Australia, most law enforcement is carried out at the State/Territory level, with each state, and most territories maintaining their own police forces. The Federal Government also maintains police forces for specific purposes.
Commonwealth Police Forces
The Commonwealth Government maintains police forces for specific purposes. The Commonwealth is also responsible for policing some territories.
The following police forces are under the jurisdiction of the Commonwealth (listed by responsible Department):
Attorney General's Department
Australian Federal Police
The Australian Federal Police is Australia's premier Commonwealth police force. It collaborates with all other Australian police forces, and international police forces. The Federal Police has several sub-organisations including the Australian Federal Police Protective Service, the Community Policing Division, and the Australian Capital Territory Police. The AFP has the following responsibliities
- Enforcement of Commonwealth law including
- Drug smuggling
- Organised people smuggling
- Major fruad against the Commonwealth
- "Cyber-crime"
- Transnational crime, multijurisdictional crime
- Money laundering
- Organised crime
Community Policing Division/ACT Police
- Community policing in the following territories
- Australian Capital Territory
- Christmas Island
- Cocos (Keeling) Islands
- Coral Sea Islands Territory
- Jervis Bay Territory
- Norfolk Island
Australian Federal Police Protective Service
- Protection of government buildings, installations, and property
- Protection of airports
- Protection of Foreign Embassies, High Commissions, and Consulates in Australia
- Protection of Australian Embassies, High Commissions, and Consulates overseas
- Close protection of persons whose protection is deemed necessary by the Commonwealth
Australian Customs Service
Australian Crime Commission
Fighting nationally significant crime, and organised crime
Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity
Fighting corruption, specifically in the AFP, and ACC
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
- Australian Quarantine and Investigation Service
Department of the Treasury
- Australian Securities and Investments Commission
Department of Defence
- Royal Australian Corps of Military Police (Army)
- Responsible for security of Army establishments, field security, POW's, traffic control, counter-intelligence, criminal law enforcement, and forensic investigation on Army establishments, and in the field with Army units.
- Royal Australian Air Force Security Police (Air Force)
- Responsible for security of RAAF bases, criminal law enforcement on RAAF bases, and forensic investigation.
- Naval Police Coxswains (Royal Australian Navy)
- Responsible for criminal law enforcement on RAN shore establishments and ships, Whole Ship Coordination, assisting local law enforcement during foreign shore visits
