Throughout this report you will find these blue boxes. They will contain either team profiles of some of the lesser known areas of ACT Policing, or some of the stranger incidents our members attend whilst patrolling in the ACT.
Table of Contents
Throughout this report you will find these blue boxes. They will contain either team profiles of some of the lesser known areas of ACT Policing, or some of the stranger incidents our members attend whilst patrolling in the ACT.
ACT Policing is the community policing arm of the Australian Federal Police (AFP). We are responsible for providing quality policing services to the people of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT).
More information on our role can be found in Section A.1—The Organisation.
We strive to deliver a professional, innovative and effective policing service in an ever changing environment for all the people of Canberra.
We are a values driven organisation and our core values of integrity, commitment, excellence, accountability, fairness and trust represent our principles and standards.
More information on our values can be found in Section A.1—The Organisation
We employ both sworn and unsworn personnel in our organisation. For this reporting period approximately 73% of staff providing services to our organisation are sworn police members and approximately 27% are unsworn members.
Approximately 51% of our organisations total staff have between one to five years experience and approximately 26% have between six to ten years experience.
More information on our people can be found in Section C.7—Staffing Profile.
Our operating expenditure budget for this reporting period was $123,867,000.
More information on our budget and expenditures can be found in Section A.6—Financial Report.
The highlights for our organisation in this reporting period are as follows:
The challenges for our organisation in this reporting period are as follows:
The performance measures achieved by our organisation this reporting period:
The performance measures not achieved by our organisation this reporting period:
Our mission in ACT Policing is to keep the peace and preserve public safety within the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). We work to achieve this mission by providing quality police services in partnership with the community.
We share the following values with our colleagues in the Australian Federal Police (AFP):
Integrity is a core requirement of the AFP. On an individual level, integrity is displayed through soundness of moral principle, honesty and sincerity.
As an organisation, we demonstrate integrity through:
Commitment is characterised by dedication, application, perseverance and a belief in your ability to achieve and add value.
Our members display their commitment when:
We believe there is always room for improvement – and that the never-ending search for improvement leads to excellence. We aim for excellence in everything we do.
To promote excellence in our organisation we:
Accountability is about having ownership of our work and/or results, and being answerable for outcomes.
In our organisation, this means we:
Fairness means being impartial and equitable.
In our organisation, this means we:
Trust means having faith and confidence, and being able to rely and depend on others.
In our organisation, this means we:
ACT Policing is a business unit of the AFP and is responsible for the delivery of community policing services to the ACT. These services are provided in accordance with An Arrangement between the Minister for Justice and Customs of the Commonwealth and the Australian Capital Territory for the Provision of Police Services to the Australian Capital Territory, which was approved on 14 June 2006 for a period of five years.
The Policing Arrangement also provides for the establishment of a Purchase Agreement between the ACT Minister for Police and Emergency Services, the Chief Police Officer for the ACT and the Commissioner of the AFP for the provision of policing services to the ACT. The Purchase Agreement specifies the type and level of services required by the ACT Government, from our organisation, on an annual basis and the agreed price of those services.
Our organisation is directly accountable to the ACT Minister for Police and Emergency Services for the achievement and delivery of the outcome defined in the Purchase Agreement. This outcome is ‘In Partnership with the community, create a safer and more secure Australian Capital Territory through the provision of quality police services’. This is achieved through four main outputs; Crime and Safety Management, Traffic Law Enforcement and Road Safety, Prosecution and Judicial Support and Crime Prevention. Each output contains a number of specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Each KPI is defined by a number of measures with specific targets to quantify our performance against the Purchase Agreement.
Motorcade for visiting dignitary
Our Executive comprises of a Chief Police Officer, Deputy Chief Police Officer – Response, Deputy Chief Police Officer – Investigations and Support and the Director Corporate Services.
The Chief Police Officer is responsible to the ACT Minister for Police and Emergency Services for the achievement of outcomes set out in the Purchase Agreement. The Chief Police Officer is also responsible for the general management and control of personnel and resources utilised to provide quality police services to the ACT community.
The Deputy Chief Police Officer – Response is responsible for the management of North District General Duties, South District General Duties, Traffic Operations, Specialist Response and Security teams and the Property, Drugs and Firearms Registry.
The Deputy Chief Police Officer – Investigations and Support is responsible for the management of specialised policing services including the Territory Investigations Group, ACT Policing Operations, ACT Policing Intelligence, Prosecution and Judicial Support and Crime Prevention.
The Director Corporate Services is responsible for the portfolios that deliver enabling services to support frontline policing services to the ACT community. These include Policy, Performance and Planning, Finance and Logistics, Human Resources and Media and Marketing.
An organisational structure chart is available for reference in this annual report.
The services provided by our organisation are managed across twelve portfolios within the agency. These portfolios are:
The five stations in North and South Districts work together to respond to general and urgent requests for police assistance across the whole of Canberra.
North District patrols service the geographical areas of Canberra north of Lake Burley Griffin including Civic, North Canberra, Belconnen and Gungahlin. South District patrols service the geographical area to the south of Lake Burley Griffin including Kingston, Manuka, Fyshwick, Woden, Weston and Tuggeranong. South District also operates a two member Rural Patrol team from the Tuggeranong Police Station which services the ACT’s rural population with the support of other ACT Policing teams as required.
In addition to patrol response, North and South District Police Stations at Civic, Belconnen, Gungahlin, Woden and Tuggeranong also provide a 24 hour a day, seven days a week general enquiry and face-to-face reporting service.
Both districts share responsibility for responding to incidents, undertaking patrols and detecting and investigating crime.
The Territory Investigations Group is the primary portfolio responsible for the investigation of serious and major crime in the ACT.
Members of Territory Investigations Group are involved in the investigation of:
Specialist Response and Security is a multi-disciplined, specialist policing portfolio that provides our organisation with the capability to prepare for, manage and respond to major incidents.
Services provided by Specialist Response and Security teams include:
ACT Policing Operations provides centralised command, control, communications and coordination services for our organisation.
Services provided by ACT Policing Operations include:
On average ACT Policing Operations handles approximately 150,000 calls for police assistance, dispatches 90,000 incidents for police attendance and internally resolves 7,500 incidents annually.
Traffic Operations enforces traffic laws and promotes safer driving on ACT roads. Traffic Operations works closely with the ACT Office of Road Safety to develop and implement strategies relating to education, awareness, deterrence and enforcement of traffic matters.
Services provided by Traffic Operations include:
Prosecution and Judicial Support provides regulatory and legal support to our organisation.
Services provided by Prosecution and Judicial Support include:
The ACT Firearms Registry is responsible for ensuring compliance with the ACT firearms legislation as well as the ACT prohibited weapons and articles legislation.
The Property, Drugs and Firearms Registry delivers the following services:
The Crime Prevention portfolio, in partnership with other agencies, targets the causes of crime and educates the community about property security and personal safety.
Activities that Crime Prevention conducts or coordinates include:
ACT Policing Intelligence provides a tactical intelligence capability to support police activities and to inform our Executive on criminal behaviour within the ACT.
Principle services of ACT Policing Intelligence include:
Media interview with Sgt. Erin Pobar
Policy Performance and Planning provides advice to our Executive, ACT Government agencies and the Minister on issues relating to law enforcement.
Services provided by Policy Performance and Planning include:
The role of our ACT Policing Media and Marketing team is to ensure a cooperative and productive relationship between the media and police, and to promote our initiatives, campaigns and programs in the local community.
Services provided by Media and Marketing include:
Human Resources is responsible for the management and delivery of human resource, workforce planning, Occupational Health and Safety and welfare support to our members.
Services provided by Human Resources include:
The Finance and Logistics portfolio facilitates our organisations operational outcomes through the provision of financial management, asset management, fleet management, facilities management, uniform services and procurement and contract support.
Services provided by Finance and Logistics include:
The two major external clients for our organisation are the ACT community and the ACT Government. The ACT Government expects us to deliver effective police services in accordance with the Purchase Agreement 2008–2009. The ACT community expects us to assist in maintaining a safe and secure community.
Building partnerships with the community lies at the core of community policing. However it is not possible for us to work and develop personal relationships with every single member of the community. Community stakeholders are therefore an essential contact point for us as they facilitate access to the views and needs of the wider community. Such stakeholders include local businesses, local schools, community groups and health centres.
These relationships are extremely important and we strive to maintain them.
We also have a significant number of other noncommunity based stakeholders. These stakeholders include:
The Child Sex Offender Registry Team was established in 2005 to support the introduction of the of the Crimes (Child Sex Offenders) Act 2005 to the ACT.
The Child Sex Offender Registry Team consists of one Team Leader and three investigators whose tasks include identifying, monitoring and investigating all registrable child sex offenders residing in the ACT. Registrable offenders are recorded on the Australian Child Offenders Register (ANCOR) by order of the courts. The team also ensures that registered offenders are compliant with their requirements under the Act.
Traffic police motorcade
The 2008–2009 Purchase Agreement contains thirty-four Measures against which we measure our performance. Of the thirty-four Measures included in the 2008–2009 Purchase Agreement, we have achieved or exceeded targets for 25 Measures and did not achieve nine Measures.
Below is a brief summary outlining some of the significant results we achieved during this reporting period:
Following the commencement of self government in the ACT, an inter-governmental Policing Arrangement was entered into between the Commonwealth and ACT Governments for the provision of policing services to the ACT. The Arrangement is supplemented by annual Purchase Agreements that detail resource and performance requirements associated with the delivery of policing services to the Territory. The Policing Arrangement provides the enabling framework between the Commonwealth and ACT Governments; it defines the role of the Chief Police Officer; and details the requirements for the provision of information to the ACT Minister for Police and Emergency Services.
The annual Purchase Agreement identifies those goods and services purchased by the ACT through budget appropriations. It also specifies the policing outcomes, outputs, performance Measures, targets and facilities to be provided by the ACT and the powers and obligations of the ACT Minister and Chief Police Officer and associated administrative arrangements.
The Purchase Agreement is the key mechanism by which we plan our activities. We align our workforce in accordance with the expected outputs under the Purchase Agreement by allocating resources to deliver a police organisational structure and specialist capabilities to service each output
The Purchase Agreement is supplemented by the Ministerial Direction issued by the Minister for Police and Emergency Services each year. Under Clause 6 of the Policing Arrangement between the Commonwealth and ACT Governments, the Minister may issue general directions to us in writing as to policy, priorities and goals relating to the provision of police services without issuing directions on operational matters. The 2008–2009 Ministerial Direction outlines the following special areas of focus:
We are led by the Chief Police Officer with input from internal committees including the Executive Committee, the Executive Steering Committee and the Operations Committee. Further information on these committees can be found in Section C.5—Internal Accountability in this report.
A strategic workforce plan, which is approved by the Executive Committee, exists to ensure that sufficiently skilled Full-Time Equivalent staff are appropriately distributed across the agency in accordance with key priorities.
A uniform patrol couldn’t believe it when they pulled over a Holden Barina recently in Isabella Drive in Gowrie with a snowman on its windscreen.
The driver’s explanation for the snowman was that he had just returned from the snow. He was issued with a $90 Traffic infringement Notice for driving without a clear view.
Of most concern was his lack of awareness as to how his windscreen snowman restricted his view and could so easily have resulted in a serious collision.
The snow was subsequently removed from his windscreen at the side of the road.
Car snowman
The ACT represents the smallest policing jurisdiction in Australia with the lowest number of police and police per capita in Australia. The population is mainly located in low to medium density suburbs, interspersed with considerable open spaces (some of which are subject to in-filling developments for new suburbs) and surrounded by significant tracts of bushland and grazing properties.
As the seat of Commonwealth Government, the ACT features a high number of Commonwealth assets and interests (including national icons) and a high number of visiting dignitaries. Similarly, on a per capita basis, Canberra hosts a significant number of foreign embassies and delegations. Those premises, their occupants (and frequent visitors) are entitled to special levels of protection and immunity under international conventions. The Territory is also located entirely within the state of New South Wales and this geographical proximity means that there are significant cross-border impacts on the services that we provide.
The Territory is also unique in terms of the way it accesses its policing services through the Policing Arrangement and the Purchase Agreement. We are required to deliver a policing capability across the suite of community policing responsibilities. These capabilities include:
As a key agency within the criminal justice system, we work closely with a wide range of other ACT agencies to protect the community. These key agencies include the ACT Department of Justice and Community Safety, the Courts and the Director of Public Prosecutions.
We also collaborate with the ACT Department of Justice and Community Safety on matters applying to legislative reform and on matters of common interest such as liquor licensing enforcement, victim liaison and emergency management (including critical infrastructure protection)
A key output under the Purchase Agreement is to maximise the number of successful prosecutions put before court. We liaise with the Courts and the Director of Public Prosecutions to maximise the number of successful prosecutions.
We also consult with other significant agencies including:
We also share information and expertise with the wider AFP in the areas of forensic services, information technology, technical operations, professional standards, commercial support, policy and learning and development.
As a jurisdictional entity, we engage with other jurisdictions and Commonwealth agencies and are represented on national and international forums including:
Significant organisational change has been implemented in a number of areas within our organisation over the reporting period.
In September 2009 Prosecution and Judicial Support was functionally re-organised to realign structures with our operational activities and to provide better supervision and support to staff. As a result of this reorganisation, the Watch House was expanded to six teams from five and a new team, Traffic Adjudication, was formed.
Traffic Adjudication maintains four staff who fulfil the role of dealing with disputes that arise from Camera Infringement Notices issued by the Territory and Municipal Services mobile and fixed speed cameras, and the issuing of summonses on behalf of the Territory and Municipal Services. Our activities in supporting Camera Infringement Notices on behalf of the Territory and Municipal Service’s is currently under review.
In June 2007 the AFP and the Commonwealth Ombudsman jointly released a report reviewing the operation of our Regional Watch House. The report made a total of 17 recommendations, representing 79 items for action by us. Since the release of the report, we have addressed all 79 items.
Specialist Response and Security members gain entry to a plane
More information concerning the recommendations can be found in Section A.3—Highlights under the heading of Noteworthy Operational Achievements in this report
ACT Policing Operations underwent a major refurbishment of its workspace in the second half of 2008 to accommodate increased staff numbers, expanded functional responsibilities, upgraded computer technology and enhanced operations management and display equipment. ACT Policing Operations also implemented new rostering arrangements and restructured workgroups to ensure staffing levels were aligned with peak periods of demand across the 24 hours, seven days a week cycle. Combined with the implementation of rigorous induction and in-service training programs these milestones have positioned ACT Policing Operations to deliver high-level command, control, communication and coordination services to our organisation.
A key element of ACT Policing Operations capabilities has been the roll-out of real-time GPS-based Automatic Vehicle Location technology across our vehicle fleet. This technology provides ACT Policing Operations with the capacity to instantly locate police vehicles which are displayed on both computer screens and large, wall mounted displays within the Operations workspace. While operational application of this capability is in its infancy it will permit ACT Policing Operations to more effectively dispatch police resources, potentially improving response times and enhancing overall incident management and control.
We have also undergone continued planning this year for the expansion and improved effectiveness of the Crime Prevention Portfolio. Approval was provided by the Chief Police Officer to increase the portfolio by 14 positions to provide a greater connectivity between us and the community. These positions will be phased in between July and December 2009 and include an Aged Liaison Officer, two Youth Liaison Officers, two additional Victim Liaison Officers, research and project positions, a youth adviser position and an innovation and creativity position aimed at bringing marketing and web skills into the team. In addition to these positions the existing Indigenous, multicultural and business liaison roles will also be increased from one position to two positions each.
In February 2009, supported with additional staffing, Gungahlin Police Station began providing a full-time, permanent policing presence in Gungahlin.
Further information on Gungahlin Police Stations move to a 24 hour, seven days a week response capacity can be found in Section A.3—Highlights under the heading of Noteworthy Operation Achievements in this report.
Early one January morning a uniform patrol was dispatched to an ‘offenders on premises’ job in Macquarie. The complainant for this matter had called Operations quite distressed stating that he had been woken up by noises downstairs in his house. Further to this he could hear a car running out the front of his house and he believed his laundry light had been turned on.
Believing the complainant was in the process of being burgled patrol members made their way to the address as quickly as possible.
As they were turning into the street the patrol members received a radio communication telling them that they could delete the job. The complainant had called Operations again stating that he had checked his house and everything was as it should be – the noises, car and lights had been part of a dream he was having before he woke up…
The AFP is a Commonwealth Statutory Authority established under the Australian Federal Police act 1979, proclaimed on 19 October 1979.
The powers and duties of AFP sworn members are outlined in Section 9 of the Act. Police powers entail:
AFP members’ powers are derived from both ACT and Commonwealth legislation including:
ACT Policing Intelligence consists of the following eight distinct areas:
Each area delivers a suite of intelligence products, be it tactical, operational or strategic in nature to assist our members and other law enforcement partners.
AFP Mounted Police
We are involved in a number of joint ventures and partnerships. Details of these ventures and partnerships are detailed below in Table A1.
ACT Policing Intelligence is currently working on a Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) back capture program called Project Anzio, which was launched as a result of the amendment to the Crimes (Forensic Procedures) Act 2000.
Project Anzio commenced in November 2008 and is an intelligence based approach to obtaining forensic samples including DNA and fingerprints from any person convicted of an offence which carries a penalty of more than 12 months prison in the last five years. These samples are then entered onto the National Automated Fingerprint Identification System.
Primarily the types of offences being targeted are those which are commonly solved by the use of forensic evidence including homicides, sexual offences, robberies, burglaries and stolen motor vehicles.
Project Anzio is producing significant benefits to policing in the ACT. Research shows that the average criminal career lasts five years. It is therefore important to interrupt the cycle of crime of an offender as early as possible. Furthermore, the early detection of suspects facilitated through forensic evidence has a number of advantages including:
The list of ‘persons of interest’ identified as suitable for back capture under Project Anzio stands at more than 900 and the list is expanding. Since November 2008, 135 convicted offenders have been sampled including those people incarcerated at the Alexander Maconochie Centre.
At the completion of Project Anzio there will still be a need to obtain forensic samples on an ongoing basis via forward capture; this process is currently in the planning stages.
Operation Caprae was established to investigate the number of aggravated street robberies in southern Canberra between December 2008 and January 2009. It was a collaborative team effort utilising resources from General Duties, Territory Investigations Group, Specialist Response and Security Tactical Response, ACT Policing Surveillance Team, ACT Policing Operations, ACT Policing Intelligence, Crime Prevention and the National High Tech Crime Team.
The aims of Operation Caprae were to identify the offenders responsible for a spate of robberies in the Tuggeranong district, gather evidence to support successful prosecutions against them, prevent further robberies occurring and disrupt the criminal activities of the persons committing them.
The Operation resulted in the arrest of 17 juvenile males for the offences of aggravated robbery, robbery, theft, and assault and it significantly reduced the number of aggravated robberies being committed in southern Canberra.
In June 2007 the AFP and the Commonwealth Ombudsman jointly released a report reviewing the operation of our Regional Watch House. The report made a total of 17 recommendations, representing 79 items for action by our organisation.
Since the release of the report we have addressed all 79 items and have taken action to address all the issues identified in the review. These actions ensure that:
A report detailing these implementations was delivered to the Chief Police Officer in February 2009 and was subsequently provided to the AFP Commissioner and Commonwealth Ombudsman.
During 2009, in conjunction with ACT Health, we conducted a trial to employ Forensic Nurse Examiners over weekends in the Watch House to provide advanced first aid and evidence-based nursing care.
The four-month trial started in April 2009 with the appointment of four fully qualified nurses. Clinical Forensics ACT is responsible for providing medical services to the Watch House, the new Forensic Nurse Examiner positions means police have immediate access to medical advice over busy weekend periods.
This trial expands upon recommendation seven of the Watch House review, which focused on the revision of health care to detainees and the development of appropriate arrangements for dispensing medication in the Watch House.
The inclusion of Forensic Nurse Examiners supplements the current call-out system for Forensic Medical Officers to the Watch House, achieves heightened awareness of health issues associated with persons in custody and does not reduce the service ACT Health offers to our members or patients.
The Forensic Nurse Examiners provide basic medical care and observations whilst on duty at the Watch House. They also provide clinical support to the Forensic Medical Officers in other areas of forensic medicine such as the examination of sexual assault victims and attendance at deaths.
The trial is fully funded by ACT Health and is also an opportunity for the Forensic Nurse Examiners to get hands-on experience. Furthermore, the trial coincides with professional development studies that the four Forensic Nurse Examiners are undertaking in forensic nursing through Monash University.
A uniform patrol got more than they expected when they pulled over a Nissan Pulsar driving down Northbourne Avenue late one Sunday night.
Inside the vehicle patrol members found 11 people: one driver, two front seat passengers, six backseat passengers and two travellers in the boot.
The driver was a 19yr old male on a provisional licence and all his passengers were 18-19 yrs of age.
Patrol members issued the driver with a Traffic Infringement Notice for negligent driving and ordered six of the passengers out of the car.
In February 2009, supported with additional staffing, Gungahlin Police Station began providing a full-time, permanent policing presence in Gungahlin. The 24 hours a day, seven days a week operation now brings Gungahlin Police Station in line with all other police stations across the ACT.
The additional police assigned to Gungahlin Police Station has enabled the patrol teams to expand to six, allowing an overlap of shifts to ensure greater coverage and more efficient responses during peak times.
The expansion has also delivered a considerable increase in police presence in the greater Gungahlin area. Initial informal results suggest that the increase presence of our members has resulted in a drop in anti-social activity within the Gungahlin Central Business District.
Targeted drink driving campaigns have also been directed at local licensed premises as a result of the 24 hour policing presence and members have taken a proactive role in liaising with the local schools and community with the assistance of Crime Prevention.
Operation Clarus is the intelligence led investigation into organised criminal activity of Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs in the ACT.
Operation Clarus produced significant results in April 2009 when a multi-jurisdictional law enforcement ‘National Day of Action’ was held. The Territory Investigations Group executed five search warrants across the ACT, seizing illicit drugs, firearms, ammunition and proceeds of crime.
Four offenders are currently before court in relation to drug and weapons offences.
In early 2008 the Traffic Operations portfolio began a trial of the Recognition and Analysis of Plates Identified (RAPID) system and an in-car computing system which enables remote access to AFPNet. The evaluation of this trial was highly positive enabling us to secure AFP funding to equip all our marked and unmarked patrol vehicles with this technology.
In–Car computing enables our members to have immediate access to all available information at near desktop speed. The system provides us with more awareness and security in dealing with individuals by allowing us to efficiently conduct checks utilising PROMIS, including criminal histories, current alerts, current addresses, contact details and images.
In–Car computing also provides increased efficiency by allowing the completion of paper work on the road, fewer requirements to return to the station and a reduction in radio communication requirements. Initial findings from the trial of In–Car computing has identified that checks via radio communication can take in the region of ten minutes, as opposed to the same checks on In–Car computing, which take approximately ninety seconds.
All our marked and unmarked patrol vehicles will be fitted with this technology in the near future.
In February 2009 our organisation made a significant contribution to the initial stages of the recovery process of the Victorian Bushfires. Twenty-five of our members were sent to the bushfire zone to assist with the task of searching affected areas for victims and to assist with the disaster victim identification process. The efforts of our members greatly assisted those people who had lost loved ones and enabled them to start the recovery process.
Furthermore, from September 2008 to March 2009 we have investigated six homicides in the ACT.
Operation Adana is the investigation of the stabbing death of a female at the Charnwood Shopping Centre in July 2008. A female was later arrested and charged with murder. The matter is currently before court.
Operation Solus is the investigation into the suspicious death of a male person located deceased in Kingston in September 2008. This investigation remains ongoing.
Operation Fortis is the investigation into the death of two persons discovered by ACT Fire Brigade while extinguishing a house fire in Downer in September 2008. The following day we arrested and charged a male person with murder. This matter is currently before court.
Operation Intus is the investigation into the shooting death of two males in Chisholm in March 2009. A male person was later arrested and charged with double murder. This matter is also currently before court.
All four operations were very resource intensive with personnel being transferred to investigative teams from the Territory Investigations Group, Forensic Services and ACT Policing Intelligence.
The effects of the resource demands from the homicide investigations and the bushfire recovery process were far reaching. Teams and areas that had lost personnel to these teams were considerably under staffed to deal with their regular duties in a timely manner. They subsequently had to be back filled from other areas meaning these areas were also understaffed.
The strain on resources from the homicide investigations and the bushfire recovery process resulted in a considerable increase in workloads on members from the Territory Investigations Group, ACT Policing Intelligence, General Duties and Forensic Services and required greater prioritisation on matters received, investigated and processed by these areas.
It’s important to note, however, that whilst our investigative and response resources were stretched to the limit, we were still able to achieve performance measures in these areas.
In-car technology
The Video Operations Team consists of three full time members with one member being on call at all times, to provide 24 hours, seven days a week support to our members.
The services provided by the Video Operations Team includes:
Construction on the Closed Circuit Television facility, located between ACT Policing Operations and the main car park at the Winchester Police Centre was completed at the end of June. The computer servers and other equipment is being installed throughout July.
The demountables contain a number of offices, rooms to house computer servers and a main CCTV monitoring room. Footage will be sourced from up to 60 cameras located at the Jolimont Centre bus terminal, Canberra Stadium, Manuka Oval, Exhibition Park in Canberra and in Civic, Kingston and Manuka.
Once complete, the CCTV system will enable virtual patrolling, whereby operators rotate camera views based on intelligence, operational requirements and agency policy.
The ACT Government’s long-term plan is for the CCTV system to be monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week. However initial funding will support the active monitoring of CCTV during the peak periods of Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. The CCTV system will also be monitored during major events as required. CCTV footage will be stored and archived for subsequent investigations.
The Ginninderra Police Citizens Youth Club was established as a temporary facility when the Turner Police Citizens Youth Club site was vacated. The Police Citizens Youth Club incorporated as many of the Turner centre programs/activities within the Ginninderra centre as possible. Unfortunately the size and shape of the floor space in the Ginninderra centre limited the capacity of the Club to deliver all of the programs/activities which had been previously run at the Turner site.
Unfortunately due to unexpected delays in the redevelopment of the Turner site and despite the majority of Ginninderra Police Citizen Youth Club’s programs/activities running at or near capacity, the Ginninderra Centre was placed under considerable financial strain that could not be sustained.
In late 2008 the Police Citizens Youth Club Board engaged its key stakeholders to address the issues at the Ginninderra centre. Several options were considered to either keep the Ginninderra centre open or explore the potential for an alternative Centre in the West Belconnen area. In April 2009 the Police Citizens Youth Club Board decided that none of the currently available options presented the Police Citizens Youth Club with a viable north side presence. Accordingly it made the difficult decision to close the Ginninderra Police Citizens Youth Club in July 2009.
The Police Citizens Youth Club is maintaining a north side presence with five of the seven programs/activities continuing in an outreach capacity. The Police Citizens Youth Club Board is committed to the development of a viable north side Centre and is working with key stakeholders to realise this goal. The Board has engaged the community in this process and has established a working committee which meets once a month. The committee is made up of current and past Police Citizens Youth Club members, coaches, instructors and concerned citizens who are determined to see a Police Citizens Youth Club presence in northern Canberra.
In this reporting period we have apprehended a record number of drink drivers, highlighting the dismissive approach to the perils of drink driving by many members of the ACT community.
In 2008 we developed a strategy to address this issue which continues in 2009. The strategy involves high visibility random breath testing, low visibility targeted breath testing, media campaigns and community ownership. Additional strategies also being developed to target this offence include the development of a database to show where drink drivers are being caught, where they have been drinking and where they commenced their journey from.
In accordance with the Purchase Agreement 2008– 2009, we have continued to make progress against key strategic outputs and service delivery priorities.
Progress applying to the refurbishment of ACT Policing Operations facilities and the introduction of new technology has been addressed in Section A.2—Overview, under the heading of Identification and response to significant organisational change and/or the revision to administrative arrangements in this report.
In this reporting period we have also established a Duty Operations Manager, based in the ACT Policing Operations workspace. The role of the Duty Operations Manager is to deliver an optimal and timely response capability and to risk manage critical incidents reported through ACT Policing’s Operations, outside normal business hours. The Duty Operations Manager is a sworn Band 8 Sergeant (or acting officer) with the experience and skills to deploy and coordinate operational resources.
The Duty Operations Manager is briefed on all notifiable incidents and will further brief the relevant senior executives including the Deputy Chief Police Officers. The responsibility also falls on the Duty Operations Manager to identify and notify the relevant investigative and specialist portfolios (such as Specialist Response and Security Tactical Response Teams and the Territory Investigations Group Reception Officer) of major incidents that require their attention.
The Suburban Policing Strategy continues to support an increase in the visibility of our members in the community.
Further information on the Suburban Policing Strategy can be found in Section A.9—Analysis of Agency Performance and Section B.1—Community Engagement in this report.
Measures have been implemented to improve road safety within the Territory including greater use of the RAPID system and joint jurisdictional operations e.g. Operation RAID, driver awareness and high visibility targeted and random breath testing.
A Traffic Compliance Targeting Team operated from November 2008 until February 2009. This team utilised the RAPID system and worked in conjunction with ACT Government vehicle inspectors to remove unregistered and unroadworthy vehicles along with unlicensed drivers from ACT roads.
Traffic Operations conducted a trial on the Yamaha FJR 1300p motorcycles, which have subsequently replaced the previous motorcycle fleet, increasing the number of operational motorcycles from 12 to 18.
Traffic Operations also has a dedicated Intelligence Officer who examines trends relating to traffic offences and assigns targets, recidivist offenders or known high complaint locations, to mobile traffic patrols. Examples of intelligence led operations include trail bike patrols in certain locations around the urban fringe where there are reports of unregistered/illegal trail bike riders, and the targeting of areas where there are reports of traffic offences such as ‘burn outs’.
Traffic Operations also has established a database whereby persons apprehended for drink driving offences are questioned as to where they were drinking prior to driving, which is then uploaded onto the database. This information will allow us to refine the intelligence gathering process and support further campaign focus on specific areas.
Traffic Police Officer on patrol
The re-organisation of Prosecution and Judicial Support to realign structures with our operational activities has been addressed in Section A.2—Overview, under the heading of Identification and response to significant organisational change and/or the revision to administrative arrangements in this report.
Our Police Early Intervention and Diversion Program provides opportunities for illicit drug offenders to be diverted from the criminal justice system to education and treatment pathways in the health system.
Further information on our Police Early Intervention and Diversion Program can be found in Section A.9—Analysis of Agency Performance in this report.
We have been tasked by the Minister to work with other ACT criminal justice agencies to achieve better outcomes for victims of crime. The ACT Victims of Crime Referral Project examines best practice in supporting victims of crime and referring victims to relevant support agencies. The project analysed victims’ responses to an online survey and included questions relating to victim reporting, satisfaction with police assistance, referrals to victim support agencies and whether victim support agencies were helpful. The Australian Institute of Criminology is currently preparing a written report which will include strategic options for achieving better outcomes for victims of crime in the ACT. The project was expected to be completed by June 2009, however it has been delayed by a month.
Training exercise with Specialist Response and Security members
In accordance with the ACT Policing Strategic Plan 2008–2011, we will continue to create a safer and more secure ACT through the provision of quality police services by developing strategies to achieve the following objectives:
The ACT Policing Annual Report 2007–2008 identified future priorities which included encouragement of procedural innovation and deliberate optimisation of technology to make police more available to the community. Last year’s Annual Report also identified the potential for new technology, which is wholly integrated into routine practice, to deliver better customer service, more effective resource management and increased interaction between police and the community.
We are currently installing digitally encrypted central processing units in 120 operational police vehicles. Each vehicle will be connected via high-speed data modem to the secure AFP Net. Each vehicle’s terminal is highly secure and can only be accessed after navigating a number of security gateways.
Terminals provide access to PROMIS, the AFP’s on-line database, the Roads Transport Authority (RTA) vehicle registration and driver’s licence database, plus conventional electronic resources such as email and the Internet.
New command and control technology is also being installed within ACT Policing Operations to achieve a safer and more effective management of police response resources in the ACT. The roll-out and integration of new technology across our organisation remains a work in progress and is addressed in more in Section A.2—Overview and Section A.3—Highlights in this report
In 2009–2010 we will focus on strengthening the delivery of proactive policing strategies to prevent, detect, investigate and prosecute crime and address the perceptions of crime and safety in the community. This focus is a key objective of our Strategic Plan and it represents the nexus between technology, innovation and routine practice.
We will more closely integrate the Intelligence and Investigations portfolios to support targeted, preventative investigations. Enhanced technology, including number plate recognition software and Closed Circuit Television systems will be employed to support the intelligence collection effort.
A re-allocation of existing funding has enabled our organisation to commit additional resources to the Crime Prevention portfolio. These resources will be used to develop stronger links between our members and the community via community forums and cultural gatherings and at schools. We will build on relationships which have already been forged under the Suburban Policing Strategy to deliver crime prevention, personal, household and road safety programs which are tailored to their audiences.
Road safety compliance will be enforced via more patrol cars fitted with number plate recognition technology to quickly identify offending drivers and vehicles. It will become increasingly difficult for unlicensed drivers and unregistered or uninsured vehicles to avoid police detection. The introduction of automatic vehicle locating technology will enable our resources to be directed to incidents more effectively; and we will continue to conduct targeted and random breath testing in any area of Canberra and at any time.
An enhanced AFP public internet site, which will include an ACT Policing micro site, will be released in late 2009. Our micro site is being designed to be interactive, highly visible and easily accessible. The micro site is intended to support increased contact between our organisation and the community and will include real-time media releases (audio and video), crime statistics, traffic information, requests for public assistance and crime prevention advice. The micro site will also support online reporting of criminality and minor infringements, including traffic collisions.
The internet has been used very effectively by other police jurisdictions, particularly overseas, to increase transparency – and critically, to inform the public about the actuality of crime. Public fear of crime continues to exceed the incidence of crime in the ACT in most categories. We recognise that our capacity to prevent, detect, investigate and prosecute crime is central to ensuring public confidence in us. But we also recognise that an increase in the presence of our members in the community, as well as the ready availability of information and advice can reduce undue fear of crime. We intend to continue to increase our presence in the community through the use of mobile technology, the Suburban Policing Strategy, attendance at community forums and the internet.
The ACT Policing 2007–2012 Environmental Scan provides an assessment of the current broad trends in criminality, the external issues likely to have the greatest impact on crime over the next five years and the impact these issues may have on crime itself and our organisation. The main trends identified include:
In the short time since the Environmental Scan was conducted, sophisticated communication technology has become so widely available that attending to technology enabled crime has already become the norm rather than the exception. We must continue to streamline response procedures and enhance investigative capacity, through the use of our own technology, to deliver effective policing in the ACT.
The impact of social issues (as referred to in the Environmental Scan) is now likely to be most clearly represented by the global economic crisis. The effects of that crisis have yet to materialise in the ACT from a policing perspective, however it is quite probable that increases in volume crime, fraud and domestic violence will be experienced over time. Any increase in volume crime will impose greater strain on response and investigations resources, as well as forensic science disciplines. From a preventative perspective, we view our increased commitment to our Crime Prevention portfolio at this time as one useful way of increasing community resilience and monitoring collective wellbeing.
The major localised change in our operating environment is represented by the opening of the Alexander Maconochie Centre. The new prison has required us to establish new arrangements within South District to equalise responses to prison incidents across police stations. We have also established new interoperability arrangements with ACT Corrective Services to accommodate the new facility. Over time, the full impact of the Centre on our organisation will become better understood.
There are a number of issues, influences and challenges that are likely to impact on the provision of policing services in the Territory in the future. Some of these issues include:
Our financial position has remained strong throughout this reporting period. The operating result for the year was a deficit of $0.6m or a variance against total revenue of 0.48%. The overspend was primarily driven by an unexpected increase in Long Service Leave provisions as a result of a decrease in long term bond rates. The result confirms the continuing prudent financial management of our organisation in the successful delivery of outcomes to the ACT Government. The financial statements for this reporting period were also signed by the Auditor-General, without qualification.
Total revenue received by the AFP for the provision of policing services in the ACT was $131.6m. This represented an increase of $8.5m or 7% over the last financial year. The major factors in this increase were funding for an additional 10 operational police and funding for the effects of the 2007–2011 AFP Collective Agreement.
Total expenditure amounted to $132.2m, which is up $10m or 8%. As with revenue the increase relates to the additional staffing and additional salary costs associated with the 2007–2011 AFP collective agreement.
The cost of enabling services was rebased in 2006–2007 in accordance with the 2006–2007 Purchase Agreement. The rebased cost of enabling services is reflected in the Financial Statements. The rebased cost has been adjusted for increases in staffing, CPI and wage costs since 2006–2007.
| 2007–08 Actual $’000 |
Note | 2008–09 Budget $’000 |
2008–09 Actual $’000 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| REVENUE | 1 | |||
| Department of Justice and Community Safety: | ||||
| 115,775 | Base Appropriation | 125,274 | 125,273 | |
| 5,486 | Resources Received Free of Charge | 3 | 5,623 | 5,636 |
| 200 | New Initiatives | 200 | 224 | |
| 205 | Facilities Upgrade | 200 | 0 | |
| 1,449 | Other Revenue | 150 | 471 | |
| 123,115 | Total Revenue | 131,447 | 131,604 | |
| EXPENSES | ||||
| 79,183 | Employee Expenses | 4 | 87,206 | 87,752 |
| 22,375 | Enabling Expenses | 5 | 22,275 | 22,275 |
| 14,135 | Administrative Expenses | 6 | 14,791 | 15,347 |
| 1,018 | Depreciation and Amortisation | 7 | 1,552 | 1,234 |
| 5,486 | Property Expenses – Resources Received Free of Charge | 3 | 5,623 | 5,636 |
| 122,197 | Total Expenses | 131,447 | 132,244 | |
| 918 | Operating Result | 0 | (640) |
For the Year Ended 30 June 2009
The Income Statement has been prepared in accordance with the format provided by A.C.T. Department of Justice and Community Safety. This is a special purpose statement and is prepared under the terms of the Policing Arrangement with the A.C.T. Government.
Revenue and Expenses have been extracted from the Financial Statements prepared by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) for the financial year 2008/09.
The Financial Statements of AFP have been prepared in accordance with:
The A.C.T. Community Policing Income Statement is presented in Australian dollars and values have been rounded to the nearest thousand dollars.
The methodology for the price of “Enabling Expenses” in note 5 was agreed between the AFP and the A.C.T. Department of Justice and Community Safety as part of the 2001/02 Purchase Agreement negotiation and includes adjustments to service delivery and staffing in subsequent years.
The cost of enabling services was rebased in 2006/07 in accordance with the 2006/07 Purchase Agreement. The enabling expenses shown in 2007/08 and 2008/09 reflect the rebased cost adjusted for increases in staffing, CPI and wage costs since 2006/07.
The rebased enabling expenses of $22.275m have been disclosed in the Income Statement for 2008/09 ($22.375m in 2007/08). If Enabling Expenses had been calculated using the same basis as that used in 2006/07 the amount of $22.275m (2008: $22.375m) would be reduced by $1.406m (2008: $1.358m); and the Operating Result currently reported as a $0.640m deficit (2008: $0.918m surplus) would decrease by $1.406m (2008: increase by $1.358m).
The AFP and the A.C.T. Department of Justice and Community Safety have not agreed the rebased enabling amount in 2007/08 and 2008/09 and no change in funding for enabling services was made during the year. Negotiations are ongoing to agree future enabling funding changes.
The methodology utilised in preparation of notes 4, 6 and 7 was primarily Activity Based Costing which utilised statistical analysis of individual Cost Centre activities to apportion costs across outcomes. Job Costing was used where a direct relationship between an activity and outcome could be established.
Unless alternative treatment is specifically required by an accounting standard, revenues and expenses are recognised in the Income Statement when and only when the flow, consumption or loss of economic benefits has occurred and can be reliably measured.
Gains from disposal of non-current assets are recognised when control of the asset has passed to the buyer.
Resources received free of charge are recorded as a revenue and expense in the Income Statement at fair value. The revenue and expense are separately disclosed under resources received free of charge. Goods or services that are received free of charge are only recorded in the Income Statement if they can be reliably measured and would have been purchased if not provided free of charge.
Under Section 31 of the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997 certain receipts are deemed to be appropriated in accordance with that section of the Act. The AFP is able to retain and expend these receipts.
The nature of the receipts are defined in Regulations 15(3)(a) and (b) of the FMA Regulations and include:
Comparative information has been disclosed in respect of the previous period for amounts reported in the Income Statement. Where the presentation or classification of items in the Income Statement are amended, the comparative amounts have been reclassified where practical. Where a reclassification occurs the nature, amount and reason for the reclassification is provided.
In 2008–09, expenses relating to the accommodation and service costs for Policing facilities which are provided as Resources Received Free of Charge by the ACT Government were reclassified as a separate line item. The expenses were previously classified as Administration Expenses. As a result, the comparatives have been amended accordingly, resulting in a reduction of accommodation expenses and an increase in the Policing facilities expenses in the amount of $5,486.
The Australian National Audit Office undertakes the audit of the A.C.T. Community Policing’s annual Income Statement and Statement of Performance at a fee to the AFP. These audits are undertaken as special purpose audits by arrangement. The fee for the annual Income Statement audit for 2008/09 is $32,000 GST exclusive (2007/08: $29,000) and the fee for the Statement of Performance for 2008/09 is $36,000 GST exclusive (2007/08: $36,000).
| 2007–08 Actual $’000 |
2008–09 Budget $’000 |
2008–09 Actual $’000 |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| NOTE 3: Resources Received Free of Charge | |||
| Revenue and Expense: | |||
| 5,486 | ACT Government provision of Policing Facilities | 5,623 | 5,636 |
| The above relates to Policing facilities provided free of charge by the ACT Government as per the Clause 4.6 of the Policing Arrangement between the Minister for Justice and Customs of the Commonwealth and the Australian Capital Territory. Fair value is measured by an independently determined rental estimation. | |||
| NOTE 4: Employee Expenses | |||
| 54,073 | Salaries (composite rates, higher duties and allowances) | 58,744 | 58,777 |
| 5,083 | Overtime Expenses | 5,857 | 6,188 |
| 7,737 | Superannuation | 9,426 | 9,764 |
| 1,045 | Superannuation Productivity | 1,273 | 1,059 |
| 6,650 | Recreation Leave | 7,459 | 7,068 |
| 1,695 | Long Service Leave | 1,953 | 3,087 |
| 2,473 | Comcare Expenses | 2,494 | 1,644 |
| 427 | Other Employee Expenses | 165 | |
| 79,183 | Total Employee Expenses | 87,206 | 87,752 |
| NOTE 5: Enabling Expenses | |||
| 597 | Legal Services | 619 | 619 |
| 1,573 | Finance and Commercial | 1,632 | 1,632 |
| 1,450 | Professional Standards | 1,505 | 1,505 |
| 273 | People Strategies | 284 | 284 |
| 3,476 | Learning and Development | 2,667 | 2,667 |
| 9,175 | Forensics and Technical | 9,519 | 9,519 |
| 5,831 | Information Technology | 6,049 | 6,049 |
| 22,375 | Total Enabling Expenses | 22,275 | 22,275 |
| NOTE 6: Administrative Expenses | |||
| 3,189 | Accommodation | 3,403 | 3,754 |
| 3,495 | Vehicle Costs | 3,855 | 4,058 |
| 210 | Repairs and Maintenance | 392 | 305 |
| 7,241 | Other Administrative Expenses | 7,141 | 7,230 |
| 14,135 | Total Administrative Expenses | 14,791 | 15,347 |
| NOTE 7: Depreciation and Amortisation | |||
| 994 | Plant and Equipment | 1,515 | 1,190 |
| 24 | Other | 37 | 44 |
| 1,018 | Total Depreciation and Amortisation | 1,552 | 1,234 |
http://www.afp.gov.au/~/media/act/images/page-images/annual-reports/08-09/
In partnership with the community, create a safer and more secure Australian Capital Territory through the provision of quality police services.
This will be achieved through four main areas of activity: Crime and Safety Management; Traffic Law Enforcement and Road Safety; Prosecution and Judicial Support; and Crime Prevention.
A.C.T. Policing will provide a safer and more secure Australian Capital Territory so that members of the community can go about their daily lives without undue fear of crime.
This will be achieved by:
Final cost: $110,103,509.52
A.C.T. Policing will enforce traffic laws and promote safer behaviour on ACT roads with the objectives of reducing the number of crash fatalities and injuries to members of the community.
Final cost: $9,521,134.66
A.C.T. Policing will maximise the number of successful prosecutions in Court by providing support to the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Courts.
Final cost: $8,205,068.15
A.C.T. Policing will seek to prevent crime by targeting the causes of crime, educating members of the community about property and personal safety, and by pursuing inter-agency partnerships that assist in achieving this objective.
Final cost: $4,413,954.28
Reporting period: 01 July 2008 to 30 June 2009
| Measures | Annual Target | Financial year to date result |
% variation from target |
On target? |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level of Crime | |||||
| 1 | Number of offences against the person reported or becoming known per 100,000 population. | 810 or less | 870.3 | 7.50% | N |
| 2 | Number of offences against property reported or becoming known per 100,000 population. | 8600 or less | 8538.4 | –0.7% | Y |
| 3 | Percentage of offences against the person cleared. | 55% or more | 72.30% | 31.50% | Y |
| 4 | Percentage of offences against property cleared. | 10% or more | 14.00% | 39.80% | Y |
| Perceptions of Crime | |||||
| 5 | Percentage of persons who are concerned about becoming a victim of physical assault in a public place – excluding sexual assault in the next 12 months. | National Average or less (38.0%) | 31.70% | –16.6% | Y |
| 6 | Percentage of persons who are concerned about becoming a victim of sexual assault in the next 12 months. | National Average or less (14.9%) | 12.20% | –18.5% | Y |
| 7 | Percentage of persons who are concerned about becoming a victim of housebreaking in the next 12 months. | National Average or less (53.8%) | 60.00% | 11.60% | N |
| 8 | Percentage of persons who are concerned about becoming a victim of motor vehicle theft in the next 12 months. | National Average or less (42.2%) | 44.00% | 4.20% | N |
| 9 | Percentage of persons who feel safe at home alone during the day. | National Average or more (93.2%) | 95.00% | 1.90% | Y |
| 10. | Percentage of persons who feel safe at home alone after dark. | National Average or more (84.3%) | 85.70% | 1.70% | Y |
| Police Responsiveness | |||||
| 11. | Response times for Priority One Incidents: | ||||
|
60% or more | 84.40% | 40.70% | Y | |
|
90% or more | 95.10% | 5.70% | Y | |
| 12. | Response times for Priority Two Incidents: | ||||
|
60% or more | 92.10% | 53.50% | Y | |
|
95% or more | 97.10% | 2.20% | Y | |
| 13. | Response times for Priority Three Incidents: | ||||
|
60% or more | 94.70% | 57.80% | Y | |
|
95% or more | 97.40% | 2.50% | Y | |
| 14. | Response times for Priority Four Incidents: |
||||
|
95% or more | 99.70% | 4.90% | Y | |
| 15. | Percentage of 000 calls answered on first or second presentation: |
||||
|
90% or more | 94.60% | 5.10% | Y | |
|
98% or more | 99.40% | 1.50% | Y | |
| Public Confidence in Police | |||||
| 16. | Percentage of persons satisfied with most recent contact with police services. | National Average or more (80.9%) | 83.20% | 2.80% | Y |
| 17. | Percentage of persons who agree that police perform their job professionally. | National Average or more (80.5%) | 83.10% | 3.20% | Y |
| 18. | Percentage of persons who agree that police treat people fairly and equally. | National Average or more (67.5%) | 73.10% | 8.30% | Y |
| 19. | Number of established complaint issues against police.1 | 60 or below | 65 | 8.30% | N |
| 20. | Number of established complaint issues relating to persons in custody. 1 | 25 or below | 8 | –68% | Y |
| Road Safety | |||||
| 21. | Number of road crashes resulting in death per 100,000 population. | 5.1 or less | 3.2 | –36.5% | Y |
| 22. | Number of road crashes resulting in injury per 100,000 population. | 210 or less | 182.1 | –13.3% | Y |
| 23. | Percentage of persons who self-report to driving 10km per hour or more over the speed limit. | National Average or less (26.1%) | 29.10% | 11.40% | N |
| 24. | Percentage of persons who self-report to driving while not wearing a seatbelt. | National Average or less (3.0%) | 3.10% | 1.20% | N |
| 25. | Percentage of persons who self-report to driving while suspecting they are over the prescribed alcohol limit. | National Average or less (2.1%) | 2.80% | 32.70% | N |
| 26. | Percentage of persons who self-report to driving when using a mobile phone. | National Average or less (14.7%) | 14.50% | –1.3% | Y |
| Supporting the Judicial Process | |||||
| 27. | Percentage of briefs delivered to the DPP within the designated timeframe.2 | 75% or more | 62.80% | –16.3% | N |
| 28. | Percentage of cases finalised by offence proved in court.3 | 80% or more | 83.70% | 4.60% | Y |
| 29. | Percentage of cases finalised by a not-guilty verdict or otherwise withdrawn.3 | 18% or less | 13.90% | –22.7% | Y |
| 30. | Percentage of cases otherwise resolved.3 | 5% or less | 2.40% | –52.8% | Y |
| Crime Prevention | |||||
| 31. | Percentage of persons who perceive the following quality of life issues to be a problem in their neighbourhood2 | ||||
|
dangerous or noisy driving | National Average or less (74.5%) | 72.60% | –2.5% | |
|
National Average or less (55.0%) | 53.70% | –2.3% | Y | |
|
National Average or less (36.9%) | 27.70% | –24.9% | Y | |
|
National Average or less (44.9%) | 35.70% | –20.4% | Y | |
| 32. | Number of juveniles4: | ||||
|
Benchmark year | 57 | n.a. | n.a. | |
|
80 or more | 37 | –53.8% | N | |
| 33. | Number of persons referred to community support agencies. | 3700 or more | 6536 | 76.60% | Y |
| 34. | Number of referrals to drug diversion programs (drug demand reduction effort). | 50 or more | 81 | 62.00% | Y |
1. Include established issues from complaints made in accordance with the Australian Federal Police Act, Part V, 1979, and also any complaint made before 30 December 2006 where issues were substantiated in the current reporting period.
2. The designated timeframe commences when the court allocates a date for a Case Management Hearing and/or a hearing date, not when P&JS receive the brief from DPP.
3. These measures are based on the concept of a ‘case’ where a person may be brought before the court on multiple charges. The charges are, for the purpose of these measures, grouped under the apprehension identification number which is automatically generated by the PROMIS Case Management System. Measure 28 – Successful prosecutions – are those where any of the charges under one apprehension identification number has been proven before the court. Measure 29 – Cases finalised by a not-guilty verdict or otherwise withdrawn – are those where none of the charges under one apprehension identification number have been proven before the court. Measure 30 – Cases otherwise resolved – are those which resulted in a court appearance where the magistrate or judge made a determination which is not related to a finding of guilty or not-guilty. This currently refers to mental health orders used by the court.
N = No, not on target to achieve measure
Y = Yes, on target to achieve measure
| Number of measures where achieving target | 33 |
| Number of measures where not achieving target | 9 |
| Total measures | 42 |
(Measures which have two parts (eg response times) have been determined as “not achieving” where at least one part of the measure has not achieved the target.)
Reporting period: 01 July 2008 to 30 June 2009
Notes
1. Source: PROMIS Case Management System as at 02 July 2009. Total person offences reported during period = 2,958.
2. Source: PROMIS Case Management System as at 02 July 2009. Total property offences reported during period = 29,019.
3. Source: PROMIS Case Management System as at 02 July 2009. Total person offences cleared during period = 2,139.
4. Source: PROMIS Case Management System as at 02 July 2009. Total property offences cleared during period = 4,056.
5. Source: Roy Morgan National Survey of Community Satisfaction with Police, 13 July 2009. National result = 38.0%.
6. Source: Roy Morgan National Survey of Community Satisfaction with Police, 13 July 2009. National result = 14.9%.
7. Source: Roy Morgan National Survey of Community Satisfaction with Police, 13 July 2009. National result = 53.8%.
8. Source: Roy Morgan National Survey of Community Satisfaction with Police, 13 July 2009. National result = 42.2%.
9. Source: Roy Morgan National Survey of Community Satisfaction with Police, 13 July 2009. National result = 93.2%.
10. Source: Roy Morgan National Survey of Community Satisfaction with Police, 13 July 2009. National result = 84.3%.
11. Source: Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system as at 09 July 2009.
12. Source: Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system as at 09 July 2009.
13. Source: Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system as at 09 July 2009.
14. Source: Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system as at 09 July 2009.
15. Source: Telstra as at 23 July 2009.
16. Source: Roy Morgan National Survey of Community Satisfaction with Police, 13 July 2009. National result = 80.9%.
17. Source: Roy Morgan National Survey of Community Satisfaction with Police, 13 July 2009. National result = 80.5%.
18. Source: Roy Morgan National Survey of Community Satisfaction with Police, 13 July 2009. National result = 67.5%.
19. Source: Professional Standards, AFP as at 06 July 2009. Includes only complaint issues relating to ACT Policing members of the AFP
20. Source: Professional Standards, AFP as at 06 July 2009.
21. Source: PROMIS Incident, and/or manual count as at 02 July 2009. Crashes resulting in death during the period = 11.
22. Source: PROMIS Incident, and/or manual count as at 02 July 2009. Crashes resulting in injury during the period = 619.
23. Source: Roy Morgan National Survey of Community Satisfaction with Police, 13 July 2009. National result = 26.1%.
24. Source: Roy Morgan National Survey of Community Satisfaction with Police, 13 July 2009. National result = 3.0%.
25. Source: Roy Morgan National Survey of Community Satisfaction with Police, 13 July 2009. National result = 2.1%.
26. Source: Roy Morgan National Survey of Community Satisfaction with Police, 13 July 2009. National result = 14.7%.
27. Source: Prosecution and Judicial Support as at 17 July 2009.
28. Source: Criminal Records as at 09 July 2009.
29. Source: Criminal Records as at 09 July 2009.
30. Source: Criminal Records as at 09 July 2009.
31. Source: Roy Morgan National Survey of Community Satisfaction with Police, 13 July 2009:
32. Source: Crime Prevention as at 09 July 2009.
33. Source: Supportlink as at 02 July 2009.
34. Source: Drug and Alcohol Policy Coordination as at 08 July 2009.
(Rate per 100 000 population based on ACT Population as at 30 June 2007 from Australian Bureau of Statistics publication 3218.0 Regional Population Growth, Australia, published 31 March 2008. ACT Population as at 30 June 2007 = 339 865)
We are neither a prescribed Territory authority nor a department as defined by the Financial Management Act 1996, and therefore are unable to address this section.
The AFP delivers policing services to the ACT under ‘fee for service’ arrangements. Our funding is delivered as part of the Department of Justice and Community Safety budget. The Strategic Indicators for both the AFP and the Department of Justice and Community Safety can be found in their respective annual reports.
Under the Purchase Agreement our organisation is tasked with creating, in partnership with the community a safer and more secure ACT through the provisions of quality policing services. The Agreement outlines the four main outputs against which our performance is measured. These four outputs are Crime and Safety Management, Traffic Law Enforcement and Road Safety, Prosecutions and Judicial Support and Crime Prevention.
We are expected to provide a safer and more secure ACT so that members of the community can go about their daily lives without undue fear of crime. This is achieved by:
The key measures associated with this output are Level of Crime, Perceptions of Crime, Police Responsiveness and Public Confidence in Police.
The first four measures in the Purchase Agreement relate to the first Output, Level of Crime. We have met the target this year for Measures two, three and four. However, Measure one, which sets an upper limit for the number of offences against the person, has not been met. A summary of results against the 2008–2009 Purchase Agreement can be found at Section A.7 Statement of Performance in this report.
A full summary of all offences reported or becoming known to police, offences cleared and apprehensions in the ACT in this reporting period can be found in Appendix 6.
Offences against the person include homicide and related offences, assault, sexual offences and other threatening, negligent or dangerous acts towards a person. In this reporting period, offences against the person accounted for 7% of all offences reported to us in the ACT.
For Measure one, our target was 810 or less offences per 100 000 population. We failed to achieve the target, with 870.3 offences being reported per 100 000 population, or a total of 2 958 offences against the person. This represents a marginal increase of 1% (or 26 offences) when compared to 2007–2008.
Whilst reported sexual offences decreased substantially in this reporting period (by 29% or 134 offences), homicide, assault and other offences against the person have all increased from 2007–2008. The increase in offences against the person can largely be attributed to the increase in assault offences, (up 6% or 139 offences) from 2007–2008. The rise in assault offences was noted in all assault categories, and assault offences in the home and public places were up 11% and 5% respectively. Homicide and related offences increased from four in 2007–2008 to ten in this reporting period. Other offences against the person were up 15% (or 15 offences).
Figure A.1 shows offences against the person over the past five years.
Figure A.1—Offences against the person by type ~ 2004–2005 to 2008–2009
Source: PROMIS as at 2 July 2009
* Other offences against the person include homicide and related offences, kidnapping,
dangerous or negligent acts, harassment and threatening behaviour
Members of City Beats arrest a male in Civic
Photo courtesy of The Canberra Times
Offences against property include robbery, burglary, fraud, handling of stolen goods, motor vehicle theft, theft other than of a motor vehicle, property damage and environmental offences. During this reporting period, offences against property accounted for 70% of all offences reported or becoming known to us in the ACT.
For Measure two, our target was 8 600 or less offences against property reported or becoming known to us per 100 000 population. We recorded a result of 8538.4 offences per 100 000 population, which exceeds the target.
While the target for this Measure was achieved, it should be noted that there was a marginal increase in offences against property in this reporting period from 2007–2008. Reductions were recorded in theft (other than a motor vehicle) offences (down 4% or 527 offences) and fraud offences (down 17% or 159 offences), however increases were recorded in robbery (up 28% or 59 offences), burglary (up 4% or 164 offences), stolen motor vehicle (up 2% or 43 offences) and property damage (up 7% or 592 offences).
Two permanent Property Teams were established in the Territory Investigation Group to initially investigate property crime including burglary and motor vehicle theft.
In 2009 the focus of these teams was redefined to include street level robberies and aggravated robberies as well as targeting recidivist property offenders. Their name was also changed from Property Crime Reduction Teams to Crime Targeting Teams.
Figure A.2 shows offences against property over the past five years.
Figure A.2—Offences against property by type ~ 2004–2005 to 2008–2009
Source: PROMIS as at 2 July 2009
* Other offences against property include robbery, blackmail and extortion,
fraud and misappropriation, and handling of stolen goods offences
Offences cleared relates to offences for which there was an outcome in this reporting period. These outcomes include identification of an offender (through arrest or some other form of proceeding such as a summons or caution), withdrawal of the complaint or the determination that the offence was unsubstantiated. The target for Measure three required a clear up rate of 55% or more offences for all offences against the person. Over this reporting period we exceeded the target with a clear-up rate of 72%, the highest proportion of offences cleared against the person for 10 years.
As can be seen in Figure A.3, we have consistently recorded a clear-up rate of over 60% since 2001–2002. The nature of offences against the person generally means it is easier for us to clear them than it is to clear offences against property as the victim often knows and/ or has the ability to identify or describe the offender, which then leads to their identification.
Figure A.3—Offences against the person cleared ~ 2003–2004 to 2008–2009
Source: PROMIS as at 2 July 2009
The clear-up of offences against property occurs where an outcome for an investigation was recorded as having been completed in this reporting period. The possible outcomes are the same as those for offences against the person as discussed under Measure three. The target for Measure four required us to clear 10% or more offences that have been reported or become known to us. During this reporting period, we exceeded the target, recording a clear up rate of 14%.
As can be seen from Figure A.4, we have consistently recorded a clear-up rate of over 10% for offences against property in the past five years. The nature of these offences typically means that it is more difficult for us to clear these offences than it is to clear offences against the person. This is because the victim rarely sees the offender commit the offence and offenders often do not know their victims.
The gathering of intelligence is an important strategy in reducing crime rates. The intelligence cycle involves collecting, organising and analysing information to assist investigators and general duties patrols to target persons, locations or activities of interest.
Recidivist offenders are a significant ongoing issue in the fight against property crime. The Prosecution and Judicial Support Brief Management Team, in consultation with the Operations Committee, identifies repeat offenders who have applied for and been granted bail. The granting of bail to these offenders is tracked to enable future bail applications to be addressed more effectively where appropriate. The Brief Management Team also provides guidance to members in the preparation of bail oppositions, assisting them to address the appropriate criteria.
The Suburban Policing Strategy Coordination Team actively engages in community education programs to improve the public’s knowledge of our activities and to provide advice on strategies to reduce the likelihood of becoming a victim of crime. Tools utilised include the distribution of printed material (Home Safety Pack), referral to other agencies (Home Security Assessments), information on how and when to contact us and the discussion of incidents, issues and vulnerabilities with the community.
During this reporting period, the Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Team have undertaken five major operations (Centurion, Resistance, Carrousel 1, Carrousel 2 and Formidable) into persons possessing and accessing child pornography. The results of these operations included three arrests, and five persons summonsed in relation to child pornography offences.
In December 2008 the Territory Investigations Group commenced an investigation into the making and uttering of counterfeit Australian currency notes within the ACT. During the operation $14,300 in counterfeit $100 and $50 notes were seized, with one third recovered from circulation in various ACT banks, security firms and retail outlets, with the remaining two thirds were recovered from a north Canberra residence. Two suspects have been charged and are currently before the courts.
The seizing of criminal assets reduces the resources available to criminals and prevents them from benefiting from their crimes. The Criminal Assets Investigations Team undertakes criminal asset recovery and restraint investigations to recover proceeds of crime. This reporting period assets recovered included cash, vehicles and hydroponic equipment.
| Criminal Asset recovery under ACT legislation | |
|---|---|
| Referrals received | 26 |
| Value referred | $142,375 |
| Restrained | $23,175 |
| Forfeited | $2,500 |
[It should be noted that there has only been one court date allocated this financial year (October 2008), therefore there is over $140,000 awaiting restraint).
In late December 2008, members of Traffic Operations Mobile Team commenced an investigation focusing on a number of video clips which had been posted on ‘YouTube’. The video images were taken by the rider of a motorcycle and depicted images of a motorcycle being ridden at very high speeds and in a reckless manner around streets within Canberra and the region.
The investigation led to the identification of a suspect and the execution of two search warrants. The seizure of evidence led to the successful prosecution of an adult male, who was charged with eight counts of riding in a way dangerous and one count of negligent driving. The videos and subsequent prosecution received national media attention.
Operation Fulmer was a collaborative team made up of Tuggeranong Station Response members, Territory Investigations Group Crime Targeting Team investigators and ACT Policing Intelligence officers.
The operation was formed following an increase in burglaries in the Tuggeranong suburbs of Gordon, Conder, Banks, Wanniassa and Kambah. The team of plain-clothes officers targeted a number of persons of interest, which resulted in the burglary rate in those suburbs decreasing.
The operation resulted in 22 people being apprehended and thousands of dollars worth of alleged stolen property recovered. Included in property seized by officers during the operation were six motorcycles, two motor vehicles and a cross-country bike valued at more than $2000. Our members also seized cannabis from one alleged offender
The sixth Operation Cobalt was conducted on the 12th and 13th of December 2008. ACT Liquor Licencing committed six Inspectors to accompany six teams of three Constables each over the two nights. The teams targeted licenced premises with a focus on identifying any compliance issues.
Over the two nights 110 licensed premises were inspected, with several minor breaches against the Liquor Act and several offences against the Security Industry Act applying to unlicensed security guards being detected.
Eight persons were taken into custody for intoxicated and disorderly behaviour, five were taken to the Centrecare Sobering up Shelter, nine persons were charged with substantive offences and one prosecution was raised against bar staff for serving an intoxicated person.
From September 2008 to March 2009 our members have investigated six homicides, in four incidents, in the ACT. Offenders have been identified in all four incidents, three of whom have been charged with murder and are currently before court.
More information on the homicides can be found in Section A.3—Highlights, under the heading of Major Challenges in this report.
Figure A.4—Offences against property cleared ~ 2004–2005 to 2008–2009
Source: PROMIS as at 2 July 2009
The National Survey of Community Satisfaction with Policing is a nationwide telephone survey which measures community perceptions of a range of policing related issues including satisfaction with policing services, feelings of safety, concern about potential victimisation and beliefs about police behaviour. In this reporting period, 2 415 residents of the ACT participated in the survey and 36 365 people participated nationally.
The survey monitors community concern about becoming a victim of certain crime types. While this series of questions can elicit a variety of interpretations ranging from an assessment of likelihood of victimisation through to an assessment of how the victim would feel if they were to become a victim, they are the best available indicator of ‘fear’ of crime. Figure A.5 shows the percentage of people in the ACT somewhat concerned or very concerned about becoming a victim of certain crime types in the next 12 months compared to the total Australian result.
It is important to note that whilst we aim to reduce the level of ‘fear’ of crime in the community, there are some positive aspects to the community having some level of concern/awareness of crime in their neighbourhood. A level of awareness about crime can reinforce crime prevention behaviours and limit the person’s potential for victimisation.
Figure A.5—Perception of crime by offence type ~ 2008–2009
Source: National Survey of Community Satisfaction with Policing, July 2009
We have a full time Drug Registrar located at the Winchester Police Centre.
The Drug Registrar is responsible for processing drug seizures by checking the contents of the seizure and completing the appropriate Drug Register documentation. The Registrar then facilitates transport of the drugs to ACT Government Analytical Laboratory for analysis. Once analysis is completed a Drug Certificate is issued which is then forwarded onto the relevant case officer.
The Drug Registrar also facilitates forensic examinations of drug paraphernalia and wrappings for fingerprints and DNA and facilitates the destruction of the drugs once the investigation and court processes are complete.
When required the Drug Registrar will write continuity statements for briefs of evidence and occasionally will give evidence in court.
It is important to note that these results must be balanced against the actuality of crime. For instance, in this reporting period we recorded an increase in burglary and stolen motor vehicle offences from 2007–2008 (up 4% and 2% respectively). Fraud offences recorded a sizable decrease (down 17%), yet concern about fraud and credit card theft among ACT residents was greater than the national average. The fear of crime applying to these offences was also higher than the national average.
The Perception of Crime Measures in the Purchase Agreement (Measures 5–10) assess the community’s concern about becoming a victim of crime in the next 12 months with regards to physical assault (excluding sexual assault), sexual assault, burglary and motor vehicle theft. This section also includes measures that assess the percentage of persons in the ACT whole feel safe at home alone during the day and after dark. For these measures, the Purchase Agreement requires that we achieve a result that is equivalent to the national average or less (for Measures five to eight) and equivalent to the national average or more for Measures nine and ten.
It should also be noted that from October 2008 onwards, the wording of the questions used to report against Measures five to eight were altered slightly in an attempt limit subjectivity by respondents and improve data quality. Therefore, the results for Measures five to eight only relate to survey data collected between 1 October 2008 and 30 June 2009. Results may differ significantly those attained in previous years that apply to similar measures.
In the ACT, 31.7% of persons were concerned about becoming the victim of physical assault compared to a national average of 38.0%. We achieved Measure five for this reporting period. This result was recorded despite an increase in reported assault offences (2 363 offences reported in 2007–2008 and 2502 in this reporting period).
In this reporting period, 12.2% of persons in the ACT were concerned about being a victim of sexual assault compared to 14.9% nationally. We achieved Measure six in this reporting period. Of note was a 29% reduction in the number of reported sexual offences in this reporting period. Offences dropped from 462 in 2007–2008 to 328 in this reporting period. We continue to encourage victims of sexual assault and sex related offences to report those incidents regardless of when they occurred.
ACT recorded the second lowest rate of concern about becoming a victim of sexual assault in Australia in this reporting period. The ACT result was only beaten by Tasmania where 9.0% of residents were concerned or somewhat concerned about becoming a victim of sexual assault.
The national average and target for Measure seven for this reporting period was 53.8%. The ACT result for the year is higher at 60.0%. We did not meet this target.
In the June 2009 quarter, ACT respondents who indicated that they were concerned about becoming a victim of housebreaking in the next 12 months were asked to state why they were concerned. The responses were varied. Some respondents stated that they were concerned because of previous experiences of friends and family (22%), levels of crime reported in the news (22%), because they had been a previous victim of housebreaking (20%) or the respondent lived in an unsafe neighbourhood (18%). Therefore, 44% of persons are basing their concern of being a victim of house breaking in the next 12 months on word of mouth and reports in the media, rather than actual experience. Only 7% stated that they felt that they were lacking sufficient home security measures and 4% were concerned because they had valuable goods in their homes.
The national average and target for this reporting period was 42.2%. The ACT result for the period was higher with 44.0% of persons in the ACT concerned about becoming the victim of motor vehicle theft.
As with Measure seven, ACT respondents who indicated that they were concerned about becoming a victim of motor vehicle theft in the next 12 months were asked to state why they were concerned. The most common reasons for concern related to levels of crime reported in the news (21%), followed by being a previous victim of motor vehicle theft (20%), and friends or family being previous victims (18%). Other responses included parking their car in unsafe areas (12%) and having a valuable car (10%).
Whilst Measures seven and eight have not been achieved, it is now known that a majority of respondents who express concern about burglary or motor vehicle theft do not necessarily believe that it will happen to them in the next 12 months.
It is also important to note that Measures seven and eight are indicators of public perceptions of crime and safety. These perceptions are influenced by a range of factors, the majority of which are not related to actual levels of crime, social disorder or our performance. These influences can include print and electronic media, the internet, personal experience and the experience of friends and family.
The media has a major influence on people’s perception of crime and public safety. The media can place a disproportionate emphasis on violent and serious crime which may then distort the community’s perception, leading them to believe the offences are more frequent than they are. The community therefore is more likely to believe that crime is ‘on the increase’ which can negatively impact on their assessment of the effectiveness of our services.
One of the key ways in which to influence the rationale for the public’s perception of crime and safety is to provide greater access to relevant, up to date crime statistics. The ACT community will soon have the opportunity to access information on crime in their neighbourhood through the development of our new website, set to launch in the next reporting period.
Our target for the percentage of persons who state that they feel safe at home alone during the day was ‘National Average or more’. The national average for the financial year was 93.2%. The ACT exceeded the target for this reporting period with 95.0% of persons in the ACT stating that they feel safe at home during the day.
ACT respondents felt the second safest nationally during this reporting period, second only to Tasmania.
Our target for percentage of persons who stated that they feel safe at home alone after dark was the ‘National Average or more’. The national average for the financial year was 84.3%, while the ACT result for the period was 85.7%.
As can be seen in Figure A.6, residents of the ACT feel safer than people nationally with regards to all locations and at all times of day referred to in the National Survey of Community Satisfaction with Policing.
Figure A.6—Feelings of safety by location and time of day ~ 2008–2009
Source: National Survey of Community Satisfaction with Policing, July 2009
There is growing evidence that we have a pivotal role to play in reducing the fear of crime in the community. Research on fear of crime consistently shows that increased police foot patrols have positive effects upon the perception of crime, reducing fear of crime and higher levels of satisfaction with our service. Factors that contributed to a reduced fear of crime in the community related to activities where there was a higher physical police presence. By comparison, increased patrolling of cars has less impact on feelings of safety in the community. In essence, it is not the number of patrols that is important, but more the public’s perception of their quality that is critical.
The Suburban Policing Strategy continues to increase the visibility of our members in the community through several key focus points:
Neighbourhood patrolling – each team actively patrols their sector. Neighbourhood Patrol Cards are left at homes and commercial premises to provide the community with awareness of our attendance.
Greater interaction with Neighbourhood Watch, Safety House, Crime Stoppers and other community partners. Uniform members regularly engage with Neighbourhood Watch and Safety House groups to answer questions and address community crime and anti-social behaviour related issues affecting the community. Crime Stoppers is promoted wherever possible in order to increase intelligence reporting to police.
Greater involvement with secondary schools and colleges – our patrol and traffic members conduct patrols in and around schools within their sectors as well as engaging with principals and school staff more regularly. Crime Prevention is currently engaging with the Department of Education and Training to develop a School Liaison Protocol to assist in improving communication between schools and our organisation.
We encourage all members of the public to report criminal incidents to us. All contact that the public has with our organisation is recorded and while not all reports will result in attendance by our members, those reports form part of the intelligence process that identifies issues and directs the targeting of patrols. As a special area of focus outlined in the Ministerial Direction for 2008–2009, we have put particular emphasis in improving our response to incidents.
The coordination of efficient and effective responses to calls for assistance from members of the community is the responsibility of ACT Policing Operations.
The allocation of our resources continues to be managed in accordance with the four-level priority response model. The model ensures that our resources are deployed to the most serious incidents at any given time. The categories for the four level response model are:
Priority One – life threatening or time critical situations
Priority Two – situations where the information provided indicates that the time is important but not critical
Priority Three – situations where there is no immediate danger to safety or property but police attendance is need with undue delay
Priority Four – situations requiring police attendance where time is not important, including circumstances where time is agreed with the person.
Measures 11 to 14 gauge our responsiveness by recording the time to respond to incidents of each priority type, while Measure 15 details the urgency with which 000 calls are answered. For the first time, in this reporting period we have met the targets for all tiers of all Measures for the Police Responsiveness output.
The targeted response times for Priority One Incidents as set by Measure 11 are 60% or more within eight minutes and 90% or more within twelve minutes. Both target responses times for Priority One incidents were achieved in this reporting period (84.4% within eight minutes and 95.1% within twelve minutes).
Our target for Priority Two incidents was 60% within twenty minutes and 95% or more within thirty minutes. The achieved response time for Priority Two incidents was 92.1% within twenty minutes and 97.1% within thirty minutes. This is the first reporting period where tier one and tier two targets have both been met.
Our target for Priority Three incidents was 60% or more within two hours and 95% of more within three hours. We achieved target response times for Priority Three incidents with 94.7% within two hours and 97.4% within three hours.
Our target for Priority Four incidents was 95% or more within twenty-four hours. The target was achieved with a result of 99.7%.
The reporting period target for 000 calls that were answered on first presentation was 90% or more. The target for 000 calls answered on second presentation was 98% or more. We achieved a result of 94.6% for calls answered on first presentation and 99.4% for calls answered on second presentation.
If members of the public are satisfied with their most recent contact with our members, they are more likely to report other incidents (contributing to the gathering of intelligence) and assist us when requested.
Issues that are identified by our organisation as being of concern to the public are discussed, prioritised and monitored through the ACT Policing Operations Committee. In response to these issues, our members are tasked by the Operations Committee to patrol areas of concern such as bus interchanges, business districts, suburban shopping centres and high density residential complexes.
This reporting period saw the introduction of a Duty Operations Manager located in ACT Policing Operations to strategically deploy members to identified priorities.
More information on the Duty Operations Manager can be found in Section A.3—Highlights and more information on the Operations Committee can be found in Section C.5—Internal Accountability in this report.
We met all of the measures relating to public confidence with police during this reporting period. In particular, we were also the highest ranked jurisdiction for the percentage of persons who agree that police treat people fairly and equally (Measure 18), 8.3% above the national average.
During the Christmas holidays two key schools in each patrol zone were identified as being at risk of vandalism. Our members distributed fliers to neighbouring residences outlining security measures and what to do if they observe illegal behaviour in the schools over the holiday period. This initiative was proceeded by a media release and received coverage by four radio stations.
Our target for Measure 16 is ‘National average or more’. The national average during the reporting period was 80.9%. We achieved this target with 83.2% of respondents satisfied with their contact with our members in the last 12 months.
This result for the ACT was the second highest nationally, second only to Victoria.
Our results for this reporting period can be seen in Figure A.7 compared to the national average. For the first time we have achieved higher than the national average for police satisfaction questions.
Since the implementation of the Suburban Policing Strategy in November 2006, we have seen an improvement in all measures related to public confidence with our members. Early in this reporting period, we performed above the national average in relation to satisfaction with most recent contact for the first time. The Suburban Policing Strategy is a form of ‘reassurance policing’ which aims to address the gap between actual crime rates and the public’s perception that crime is rising. As a reassurance policing model, the Suburban Policing Strategy has a capacity to address the gap between rates of crime, risk of becoming a victim and declining factors of public confidence.
Our target for Measure 17 was ‘National average or more’. The national average in this reporting period was 80.5% and our final result is 83.1%, therefore exceeding the target.
Our target for Measure 18 was ‘National average or more’. The target was met as 73.1% of persons in the ACT agreed that we treat people fairly and equally (compared to 67.5% nationally).
This was the highest proportion nationally in this reporting period of people who agreed police treat people fairly and equally.
Figure A.8 compares results in the ACT to the Australian average for these questions. For all four questions, a greater proportion of ACT residents agreed with statements about police in comparison to the national average. These questions relate to perceived professionalism, fairness and honesty of our members and the confidence respondents have in them.
Figure A.7—Satisfaction with police ~ 2008–2009
* Proportion of people who have had contact with police in the last 12 months
that were satisfied with that contact
Source: National Survey of Community Satisfaction with Policing, July 2009
Figure A.8—Community beliefs about police ~ 2008–2009
Source: National Survey of Community Satisfaction with Policing, July 2009
In this reporting period the target was ‘60 or below’. The target was not achieved with 65 established complaints relating to our members in this reporting period, the exact same figure as 2007–2008.
Measures 19 and 20 only include complaints relating to our members that were found to be established in this reporting period. This differs from the complaints information located in Section C.5—Internal Accountability in this report. Complaints information in Section C.5 details the total number of complaints that were made during this reporting period, not just those that were established during this reporting period.
The majority of established complaint issues were typically minor such as failure to comply with direction or procedure or inadequate service. We are working to improve training packages for members in order to decrease the prevalence of these types of complaints in the future.
The target for the number of established complaints relating to persons in police custody for this reporting period was ‘25 or below’. The number of established complaint issues in this reporting period relating to persons in custody was eight, therefore achieving the target.
All people who are taken into our custody are processed through the Regional Watch House, which is located at City Police Station. Table A.3 shows total persons taken into our custody in this reporting period (including those in protective custody) and total persons taken into protective custody for intoxication.
Source: PROMIS as at 2 July 2009
*Includes two serving or sentenced prisoners in temporary police custod
We enforce traffic laws and promote safer behaviour on ACT roads to reduce the number of crash fatalities and injuries to members of the community.
The Traffic Operations portfolio performs the primary traffic enforcement function in our organisation.
Our key traffic law enforcement and road safety strategies are:
We continue to work closely with a number of agencies to promote, educate, design and enforce the road rules applicable to the ACT. These agencies include ACT Territory and Municipal Services and the ACT Office of Road Safety.
When we are conducting a specific campaign we will liaise with the ACT Office of Road Safety as a matter of course to ensure that a coordinated approach to the campaign is achieved. We also utilise ACT government resources, such as speed camera vans and NSW Roads and Transport Authority Vehicle Inspectors as a part of our Traffic Operations activities where appropriate.
We work closely with NSW Police to address road safety issues in and around the Canberra region. It is recognised that a number of the issues experienced by both jurisdictions are similar and thus a joint approach is an effective use of resources.
In January 2009, we launched our “Nine or Less in 2009” campaign by calling on the community to rise to the challenge of keeping the ACT’s road toll to single digits in 2009.
Last calendar year, there were 14 deaths on ACT roads however many of these were easily preventable with alcohol/drugs, speeding and other reckless behaviour found to be contributing factors towards the loss of life. By eliminating or reducing this dangerous behaviour there could be fewer road deaths on ACT roads – meaning the aim of a single digit road toll in 2009 is certainly achievable.
As part of this campaign, we regularly release traffic statistics and results of our enforcement operations across the ACT. Superintendent Mark Colbran also promotes the road safety message through a fortnightly “traffic talkback” session on ABC 666’s Drive program.
We have and will continue to focus our efforts on the offences of drink driving, speeding, driving while using a hand-held mobile phone, not wearing a seatbelt, unregistered and uninsured vehicles, and unlicensed drivers.
The reporting period target for Measure 21 was 5.1 or less road crashes resulting in death per 100 000 population. In this reporting period we met the target, recording 3.2 fatal road crashes per 100 000 population, a result that was lower than the target by 36.5%.
There were 11 road crashes resulting in 12 deaths in this reporting period, which was a reduction from 15 deaths from road crashes in 2007–2008. As a small jurisdiction, with relatively few motor vehicle deaths, small changes in the number of fatalities can dramatically influence this performance indicator. Figure A.9 indicates the rate of ACT fatal collisions per 100 000 population compared to the Australian rate per 100 000 population.
Figure A.9—Fatal collisions per 100 000 population ~ 2004–2005 to 2008–2009
Source: ACT Policing Annual Reports, PROMIS as at 2 July 2009, http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/roads/safety/road_fatality_statistics/fatal_road_crash_database.aspx as at 10 August 2009 and Regional Population Growth, Australia and New Zealand, 2007–2008 (ABS Cat. no. 3218.0)
Our target for Measure 22 was 210 or less road crashes resulting in injury per 100 000 population. We achieved the target with 182.1 road crashes per 100 000, a result that was lower than the target by 13.3%. As shown in Figure A.10. we are consistently achieving this Measure and the number of crashes with injury has declined from previous highs.
Figure A.10—Motor vehicle collisions with injury ~ 2003–2004 to 2008–2009
Source: ACT Policing Annual Report 2007–2008 and PROMIS as at 2 July 2009.
Bicycle patrol of Garema Place
Our target for Measure 23 was the national average or less for persons who self report to driving 10km per hour or more over the speed limit. The national average was 26.1%. Our result was over the target in this reporting period, 29.1% of persons self reported to driving 10km per hour or more over the speed limit.
We regularly conduct targeted operations aimed at reducing the number of speeding drivers on ACT roads. Our Media Team is regularly engaged to warn the public of the dangers of speeding.
Measures have been implemented to improve road safety within the Territory including greater use of Recognition and Analysis of Plates Identified (RAPID) and joint jurisdictional operations e.g. Operation RAID, driver awareness and high visibility targeted and random breath testing.
Our target for Measure 24 was the national average or less for persons who self-report to driving while not wearing a seatbelt. We did not achieve this target, as the national average was 3.0% and our result was 3.1%.
We continually target traffic related offences such as seat belt offences in conjunction with other initiatives designed to change driving habits through education as well as enforcement. We are actively working with the media to remind the community that not wearing a seat belt is a key road safety issue which contributes to our road toll.
Our target for Measure 25 was the national average or less for persons who self-report to driving while suspecting they are over the prescribed alcohol limit. The national average was 2.1% while our result was over the target in this reporting period. 2.8% of persons in the ACT self reported to driving while suspecting they were over the prescribed alcohol limit.
We continue to adopt a high profile media strategy focusing on road safety, accompanied by regular high visibility campaigns and targeting strategies. Our targeted operations are also supported by Roads ACT, with the provision of four high-visibility Variable Message Boards at strategic locations alongside major arterial roads. The boards are programmed to provide short, sharp messages with regard to drink-driving. This strategic partnership is expected to be one of several involving our organisation and ACT Government agencies in the financial year ahead.
Figure A.11—Number of breath tests by year ~ 2004–2005 to 2008–2009
Source: ACT Policing Annual Reports 2007–2008 and ACT Policing Traffic Operations
Figure A.12 shows the distribution of drink driving offences detected in 2008–2009 by location of incident.
Figure A.12—Number of PCA offences by Suburb
Source: PROMIS as at 02 July 2009
The financial year target for Measure 26 was the national average or less for persons who self-report to driving when using a mobile phone. The national average was 14.7% while we achieved the target in this reporting period, with 14.5% of persons who self reported to driving when using a mobile phone.
Our target for this measure was for delivery of 75% or more of briefs to the Director of Public Prosecutions within the designated timeframe. In this reporting period, we have fallen short of the target, with 62.8% of briefs being delivered to the Director of Public Prosecutions within the given timeframe. Further work is required in this area.
Our Prosecution and Judicial Support portfolio regularly conducts Law Practices and Procedure workshops with all of our Sergeants and Team Leaders to give them the most contemporaneous information available about legislative changes, brief preparation, court decisions and other matters relating to the prosecution process.
The workshop was developed and is delivered with significant contribution from the Director of Public Prosecutions who has a representative present at each workshop. The success of the Law Practices and Procedures Workshops can be directly attributed to the collaborative approach between our organisation and the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Portfolios within our organisation maintain quality assurance practices to ensure the timely submission of briefs. All briefs are adjudicated by Team Leaders, Operational Support Sergeants and then the Prosecution and Judicial Support brief adjudication team before proceeding to the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The new ten hour roster system has also provided the flexibility for our patrol members to conduct inquiries and work off line to complete briefs of evidence without compromising the level of our patrol service. In the previous roster, very little rostered duty time was available to follow up on inquiries, evidence gathering and preparation. Substantially greater time is now available to permit a range of activities from brief preparation to witness inquiries during normal business hours.
Our target for Measure 28 was to finalise 80% or more cases by offence proved in court. We achieved this target, with 83.7% of cases finalised by offence proved in court.
Our target for Measure 29 was to finalise 18% or less cases by a not-guilty verdict or otherwise withdrawn. We achieved this target with 14% of cases finalised by a not-guilty verdict or otherwise withdrawn.
Our target for Measure 30 was to ensure the percentage of cases resolved other than by offence proved in court or a not-guilty verdict, or otherwise withdrawn, is 5% or less. This measure relates to incidents where defendants are found unfit to plea due to mental health. We achieved our target, recording 2% of cases otherwise resolved.
We seek to reduce and prevent crime through strategies that incorporate government and community cooperation to address risk factors associated with criminal behaviour and recidivism and raise awareness of the community’s role in their own safety and security.
– speeding cars, dangerous or noisy driving
Our target for this measure was the national average or less of persons who perceive speeding cars, dangerous or noisy driving to be a problem in their neighbourhood. The national average was 74.5% and our result was under this target for this reporting period, 72.6% of persons perceived speeding cars, dangerous or noisy driving as being a problem in their neighbourhood.
– graffiti/vandalism
Our target for this measure was the national average or less of persons who perceive graffiti/vandalism to be a problem in their neighbourhood. The national average was 55% while our result was under this target for this reporting period, 53.7% of persons who perceived graffiti/vandalism as being a problem in their neighbourhood.
– louts/gangs
Our target for this measure was the national average or less of persons who perceive louts/gangs to be a problem in their neighbourhood. The national average was 36.9% while our result was under this target for this reporting period, 27.7% of persons who perceived louts/gangs as being a problem in their neighbourhood.
– drunken/disorderly behaviour
Our target for this measure was the national average or less of persons who perceive drunken/disorderly behaviour to be a problem in their neighbourhood. The national average was 44.9% while our result was under this target for this reporting period, 35.7% of persons who perceived drunken/disorderly behaviour as being a problem in their neighbourhood.
– referred to diversionary programs
In this reporting period the number of juveniles referred to diversionary programs was 57. As this reporting period was a benchmark year for this measure there was no specific target.
– completing diversionary programs
Our target for this measure is ‘80 or more’. For this reporting period our result was 54% under target.
During this reporting period, two of our experienced members, who worked within the Restorative Justice Unit, left our organisation. Since their departure, few conferences from referrals from our members have been conducted by the Restorative Justice Unit despite consistent referrals being made by our members.
During this reporting period, we signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Restorative Justice Unit. We will continue to work closely with the Unit to increase the number of juveniles completing diversionary programs for the next reporting period.
The Specialist Response and Security Bomb Response Team responds to all incidents involving improvised explosive devices located in the ACT for identification and/or rendering safe and post-blast inspection and analysis.
The Bomb Response Team is responsible for the recovery and safe disposal of civilian categories of manufactured explosives and is required to render safe or dispose of home-made explosive materials.
The Bomb Response Team responds to all incidents involving:
The Bomb Response Team has three full time members, 11 part time technicians and 29 qualified bomb searchers. Members of the team are on call at any time providing a 24 hour a day, seven days a week capacity.
Our target for Measure 33 was 3,700 or more persons referred to community support agencies. We achieved the target with 6,536 referrals to SupportLink, which is an increase of 13% since 2007–2008. Our members utilise the SupportLink service to provide a crime prevention approach to issues identified during their duties. The primary issues addressed are:
Our Drug Diversion strategies adhere to the National Drug Strategy. They also meet the illicit drug diversion framework proposed by the ACT Reference Group to meet the Council of Australian Government requirements for early intervention of diversion of drug offenders.
The aims of our Early Intervention and Diversion Program are:
Our target for Measure 34 was 50 or more referrals to drug diversion programs. We achieved the target with 81 people diverted into the Police Early Intervention and Drug Diversion Program over the last financial year, an increase of 42% from the previous year.
The Drug Diversion Program involves our members referring offenders to the Diversion Service, and Drug Program at ACT Health. ACT Health’s Police Early Diversion Clinician, is responsible for assessing offenders and recommending appropriate diversions to education and treatment services. The assessment stage is managed within the health system, with no involvement from our organisation.
Provided that offenders comply with the conditions of the Drug Diversion program, drug possession offences relating to the diversion will not appear on National Police Checks conducted on the offender despite being officially recorded on our systems.
Our Police Early Intervention and Diversion Program provides opportunities for illicit drug offenders to be diverted from the criminal justice system to education and treatment pathways in the health system.
Offenders who meet the eligibility criteria and provide consent are issued with a Drug Diversion Caution Notice, referring them to assessment and education/treatment services provided by ACT Health. Upon compliance with the diversion requirements, the matter is finalised and no further action is taken. Non-compliant offenders are referred back to us for appropriate action.
Our Illicit Drug Diversion Officer oversees this process and regularly liaises with the ACT Health Police Early Diversion Clinician. The Illicit Drug Diversion Officer position is funded by ACT Health as part of the Council of Australian Governments ‘Illicit Drug Diversion Initiative’, and these funding details are governed by a Memorandum of Understanding between our organisation and ACT Health.
In the two years prior to this reporting period a total of 54 minor drug offenders were referred to the Drug Diversion program. Of these 54 referrals, only three referred persons have been subsequently apprehended for drug related offences.
Therefore, only 5.6% of offenders referred to the Drug Diversion program have been apprehended for drug related offences in the two years following the referral.
Source: ACT Policing Drug Registry, 27 August 2008
Notes:
1. The figures include seizures awaiting analysis to confirm both weights and
the presence of the illegal substance.
2. Recorded weights and drug types may differ from those previously recorded.
Net weight confirmed has been used where available, otherwise net weight estimated
has been used. The weight value indicated may also include packaging.
3. ACT Policing Drug Registry figures differ from those prepared for the Australian
Federal Police as a whole. The ACT Drug Registry counts each individual drug
package seized, where as the national figures combine like drugs together. For
example, if two packages of heroin are seized at the one incident, the ACT Drug
Registry would count two drugs seized, while the national AFP figures would
count only one.
4. Other substance has previously been recorded as Non-drug, Not for analysis
or Other drug type
Source: PROMIS as at 2 July 2009
We actively engage with a number of organisations in the community to promote a cooperative approach in achieving a safe and secure ACT.
During the reporting period, the Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Team identified an emerging new trend amongst school aged children. Nine incidents were investigated by the Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Team where school aged children photographed themselves naked and then distributed these images to other people. The people receiving the images further distributed them to other friends and acquaintances.
Whilst they are taking the photographs of themselves, the young persons engaging in this behaviour are still committing the offences of production, possession and distribution of child pornography.
The investigations into these incidents highlighted the need for young persons to be educated about what constitutes child pornography, the legislation governing child pornography, criminal and court proceedings for these offences and the ramifications of this kind of behaviour.
Sexual Assault and Child Abuse members in consultation with High Tech Crime and Crime Prevention developed an education program to be delivered to schools to educate young people about this behaviour.
In October 2008 Crime Preventions’ Business Liaison Officer conducted a forum with ACT service station owners and operators to foster dialogue with the service station industry to reduce fuel thefts in the ACT region.
Crime Prevention offered several initiatives to the service station industry and engaged the key speaker services of a Sydney petrol station owner, who had completely eradicated his fuel theft problem by switching to a pre payment system. The key speaker was able to provide advice on his payment methodology in a context that industry owners could appreciate.
This forum provided insight to the service station industry on new procedures that could be employed to reduce incidences of fuel theft, and provided an opportunity for our members and the industry to exchange ideas.
Switching Tracks was designed to help develop the self esteem, self image and confidence of youths in need of assistance, as well as re-engaging them in the community. This program was developed in response to increased reports of anti-social behaviour and property theft at a particular school in the ACT. The program targeted students who were associated with these offences by either being an offender, a receiver of stolen property, within the friendship group of an offender or a victim.
Senior Constable Matthew Box from Crime Prevention conducted extensive research into a wide range of programs targeting youth ‘at risk’ and identified the most successful elements of each. It was identified that long term successful programs of this nature contain a multidimensional approach including reflection, mentoring and change in the home environment.
In company with our members, students practiced life skills such as effective communication, conflict resolution, basic cooking, team work, problem solving and goal setting, which was taught in a positive and supportive learning environment. Students examined their own life, highlighting their successes and strengths and identifying areas that they believed they could benefit from further development.
With the support of teachers and our members, students were encouraged to set realistic and attainable personal goals, and to establish a plan for their future success.
The 2008 Switching Tracks program was a successful undertaking resulting in:
Since the programs completion, there has been an identifiable ‘ripple’ effect from the participants to their wider school community.
We are currently working to adapt the program for a group of Year 3–5 students, and have identified that such a program would also benefit not just school students but youth from other minority groups within the community.
We are an agency which engages with the community on a daily basis. In addition to our core function of providing policing services to the community, we also have a number of proactive engagement programs, initiatives and strategies to help facilitate positive relationships with community members.
The Suburban Policing Strategy is designed to improve satisfaction levels with our service and to reduce the fear of crime amongst the ACT population. The Suburban Policing Strategy uses a problem solving approach, whereby community concerns are identified and collaboratively addressed by our members in conjunction with the community.
Each patrol zone has been divided into ‘sectors’. These sectors take in several suburbs and each uniform patrol team has been allocated a sector. There are a total of 22 sectors across the ACT.
The Suburban Policing Strategy also receives support and contribution from other ACT Policing portfolios such as the Specialist Response and Security Teams, ACT Policing Operations, Traffic Operations, ACT Policing Intelligence and the Territory Investigations Group.
Crime Prevention has a dedicated Suburban Policing Strategy team, which coordinates Suburban Policing Strategy activities with the uniform patrols at each of our police stations and during this reporting period has focused on improving and expanding involvement between our members and the community. The Suburban Policing Strategy team has increased our visibility as well as accessibility and has continued to develop and build upon areas where we can engage with the community.
Some examples of the increased community engagement of our patrols coordinated by or run by the Suburban Policing Strategy Team are:
ACT Policing Operations and Crimestoppers provide an important conduit to engage with the community via the telephone and via the web. Members of the public can call 131 444 to report incidents and matters where our assistance is required but there is no immediate danger. The Crimestoppers number of 1800 333 000 and website www.crimestoppers.com.au can be used to report illegal activity or provide information on unsolved crimes across Australia.
For over 33 Years Constable Kenny Koala has been spreading the message about personal, property and traffic safety to the Canberra community’s children. Constable Kenny Koala is recognised as an institution within our organisation and the ACT community.
During the reporting period, the Constable Kenny Koala program visited a large number of ACT Schools, presenting safety messages to 854 separate classes and in total to 16,708 primary aged school students. The addition of a support officer and a ‘back up’ for the Constable Kenny Koala program has allowed for growth in the number of presentations and attendances able to be conducted.
The Constable Kenny Koala program has three message streams, road safety, protective behaviours and community care.
The most popular programs requested by the community are road safety and protective behaviours. Road safety is preferred by preschool and lower primary classes, while protective behaviours are popular in the upper primary classes.
During the reporting period the Constable Kenny Koala program has attended an additional 64 public events. These events included the 2009 Royal Canberra Show, The National Multicultural Festival, numerous school fetes, charity launches and Blue Light Discos.
Throughout the reporting period the Constable Kenny Koala program also joined the Suburban Policing Strategy, Youth, Business, Indigenous and Multi-cultural Liaison teams to develop strategies and deliver solutions to the community in general.
One of the functions Constable Kenny Koala attended during the reporting period was the Diabetes ACT Ball where Constable Kenny Koala was one of 11 celebrities from the Canberra region invited to participate in a Celebrity Singing Bee. Kenny gave it his all and made it to the third round before bowing out. The Ball raised $100,000 on the night.
Due to the success and popularity of Constable Kenny Koala he often receives cards, letters, emails and certificates of appreciation thanking him for attending the schools and presenting positive messages to students.
Constable Kenny Koala and friend
During the reporting period the Constable Kenny Koala Star Club was created for children aged between four and 12 years of age. The Star Club website is currently being further developed and will provide online information and safety messages as well as educational games and images to download and colour in for the ACT community’s children.
The 2008 Royal Canberra Show provided a forum in which to gauge the public’s interest in the online Star Club initiative and we were inundated with positive responses over the three day period. As a result, 648 children were signed up as members.
The primary objective of the Star Club is to deliver contemporary real time safety messages directly into the home through emails and the website. The Star Club site will provide members with a monthly newsletter that will include safety messages and other ACT Policing information for all family members, not just children. Crime Prevention were able to utilise the emailed newsletter to highlight the need for families to identify the value of “Safety Houses” to their children and reiterate some of the stranger danger safety messages during a recent spate of attempted child abductions in Canberra. These messages reached over 700 homes in the ACT that contained children of the age targeted by the offender/s, and armed parents with relevant information about ways to teach their children protective behaviours’.
Star club members also receive an E-card from Constable Kenny Koala on their birthday.
At present Crime Prevention are in the process of creating static pages within the Star Club site for all family members. The next stage will be to create interactive games based on safety messages for club members to play.
For more information on the Constable Kenny Koala Star Club please visit their website at www.ckk.com.au
The Police Citizens Youth Club is a leading youth facility that provides innovative and relevant activities to youth in an environment that fosters their participation. Modern youth learn to be discerning from an early age and as a result they are harder to engage when they are ‘off the rails’. As a result we need to identify activities that suit a wide variety of youth with different ages, skills and interests. The Police Citizens Youth Club endeavours to do this by offering a variety of activities, some ongoing, some short and long term programmes
Switchback & Switchback Chicks (for females) – mountain biking Switchback for boys is now in its third year and this is the pilot year for girls. The switchback programme is designed to provide youth with ‘positive risk’ activities, such as mountain biking, as opposed to ‘negative risk’ activities such as crime. If young people do not have positive activities that satisfy the risk taking need then they will often turn to negative risk taking activities such as crime, excessive drinking and other anti-social behaviours.
The Switchback boys programme has been very successful with three boys from last year now mentoring the new boys on the programme. Members earn points for learning new skills, bike maintenance, community service, participation in other Police Citizens Youth Club activities and they lose points for negative behaviour on the programme, at school and negative contact with police. At the end of the programme if they have enough points they can ‘purchase’ their bicycle.
This programme is a 12 month programme where youth receive ongoing support to achieve their goal of completing the year and earning their bike
Rysk is a six month programme for four youths at a time. It is an intensive programme with a mechanic and a youth worker mentoring the boys. This programme has evolved from previous programmes of U-turn & Right turn aimed at car thieves.
Youth at risk are recruited from the Canberra Institute of Technology alternative education programmes for youth not attending mainstream schools and youth identified by youth justice and other youth services. This is a very popular programme that youths recognise as a privilege to participate in. Members who don’t attend regularly are replaced by others to ensure that all four places are filled.
This programme is unique in that it is a six month programme where youths overlap. Some are in their first three months and others are in their last three months, thereby delivering mentoring and leadership opportunities for the youth involved.
This programme is different to other RECLINK programmes in that youths who attend these activities actually complete their sport & recreation component of their Year ten (or equivalent qualification). The focus is on trying a variety of sporting activities over the 12 months. Youths are encouraged to participate by discussing and choosing the activities for the following week so that they have ownership of the programme and increase their attendance.
Working with youths in custody is an important part of crime prevention. One of the main aims of this programme is to build relationships with Police Citizens Youth Club staff to encourage attendance at Police Citizens Youth Club (&/or RECLINK) activities after they are released from custody. The most important part of this programme is creating positive recreation options for the youth once they leave the activities either with the Police Citizens Youth Club or by them pursuing their own sporting skills in clubs of their choosing.
The indoor cricket team has proven to be a great success by bringing six youth at risk together to play each Friday night in the Lyneham open competition. The youths have bonded together as a team and have displayed team skills and encouraged each other beyond expectations. The initial success of this programme has meant that RECLINK is considering commencing other team sports such as touch football and FUTSAL (indoor soccer) in ACT competitions.
The target group for this sport is youth from lower socioeconomic ethnic minorities who are at risk of social isolation and criminal activity.
Futsal is a faster indoor version of soccer that many people from ethnic minority groups already have skills in.
The inclusion of young adults from the Canberra Institute of Technology Migrant English classes means the team has five different cultures with at least five different languages. This team also has some internal leadership and they organise their own training sessions. We deliver team members to and from their games and use that opportunity to reinforce the need to obey Australian Laws and help them understand the laws and the role of Police in Australia.
The target group for this sport is male youth from both Indigenous and non-indigenous backgrounds. The main aim of this programme is to build relationships with us in a non-threatening environment and to break down the negative stereotypes between youth and police
Tots Tumbling and Gymnastics works at building motor skills in toddlers and encourages communication between toddlers and their parents to enhance their relationship building skills. These programmes also provide a networking & supportive environment for isolated mothers.
Boxing is a traditional Police Citizen Youth Club activity which is very popular and has waiting lists to join. Youth who want to participate in boxing need to participate in other Police Citizens Youth Club activities until a place in boxing is available. It also means that they value the opportunity to do boxing and are more likely to persist in the activity, learn self discipline and resilience.
The Police Citizens Youth Club (NSW & ACT) has a well earnt reputation for producing boxing champions from potential criminals. The head coach, who is also trained in youth work, reinforces to youth that boxing is a sport for the ring but not for the street.
The ACT Police Citizens Youth Club wrestling coaches are world class and attract a lot of youth to their programmes.
The Police Citizens Youth Club offers the following self defence classes:
All self defence programmes are useful in building self esteem, resilience and self discipline. The variety offered means that youth can choose the type of martial art that suits their physique and confidence levels. And if they wish to, they can attend several different styles.
A number of youthful victims of crime have also been referred to these activities. Building the resilience in victims is an important step in protecting them from further crimes and bullying at school. If any of the students use the martial art incorrectly they are automatically excluded from the classes. Youths who have violent behavioural issues and mental health issues are also steered away from these programmes.
We currently maintain a core group of trained police negotiators to meet domestic policing needs, provide a counter-terrorism response and to assist the Australian Government on an international basis if required.
The Negotiation Team is a part time, specialist function and consists of operational members from all areas of ACT Policing. There are currently four teams who provide a 24 hour a day, seven days a week response capacity.
The types of incidents the Negotiation Team may be called to include:
Whilst skating is not a traditional Police Citizen Youth Club programme it is one of the few activities that is targeted towards young girls and is one of the most popular activities for younger children. This programme is attended by 6–14 years of age youths (mainly girls) and occurs on a Friday night at Erindale. The timing of classes is designed to remove potential victims from walking the streets at dangerous times.
From a crime prevention perspective this is probably the most successful Police Citizen Youth Club activity due to the frequency of attendance (2–3 times a week). By attending, youths are reducing their exposure to boredom and the consequential temptation to commit offences.
The ACT Policing website, provides information on our activities and programs, news updates, advice on employment opportunities and contact details. Printed and online media is an important tool for engaging with the community. We recognise that our internet presence requires improvement. Initiatives to develop a better website are addressed in Section C.8–Learning and Development.
Since 2005, the Chief Police Officer has submitted a weekly ‘On the Beat’ report in The Chronicle highlighting our achievements or areas of concern. These reports can be found on the website.
One of our important partners within the Canberra community is SupportLink, a community service organisation dedicated to assisting people who are affected by crises. Many of the referrals that Supportlink receives stem from jobs attended to by our members, who identify areas of need and refer accordingly.
SupportLink referrals often complement the investigative side of our work through a follow up that ensures people who are affected by crime receive counseling and other support services as soon as possible.
The 2009 ACTEW Royal Canberra Show was held in March 2009. We created and staffed a large display showcasing ACT Policing and the AFP, as well as delivering safety messages to the Canberra Community.
Representatives from the AFP High Tech Crime Operations, AFP Forensic services, ACT Policing General Duties, The Constable Kenny Koala team, Police Citizens Youth Club and Crime Prevention were in attendance. Members were able to engage with the community and provide advice about a large range of Policing issues as well as promote Crime Prevention strategies and initiatives about home, vehicle and personal safety. We were also able to raise awareness in relation to the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse as well as explain some of our equipment on display.
Our display also won the 2009 Royal Canberra Show – Best Community/ Non-profit Organisation Display.
The Victim Liaison Officers provide referrals for victim support, counselling and physical therapies. The Victim Liaison Officers also work to support our members to meet their obligations to victims of crime.
The Australian Institute of Criminology has been contracted by our organisation, the wider AFP and Victim Support ACT to research the referral experience of victims of crime in the ACT. The project has four overarching aims:
The final report is expected to be completed in August 2009. The report will accompany an internal review on the role of our Victim Liaison Officers.
The Internal Scrutiny part of this section provides more information on our review of the role of our Victim Liaison Officers.
The Australian Institute of Criminology has been commissioned by the ACT Victims of Crime Coordinator to review and evaluate the Family Violence Intervention Program. The program commenced in 1998 following recommendations from the ACT Community Law Reform Commissioner for a coordinated inter-agency response to family violence.
The final report is expected to be provided to the Victims of Crime Coordinator in the next reporting period.
ACT Policing ‘Where are you staying tonight?’ campaign
Our Crime Prevention portfolio underwent an AFP internal audit during this reporting period. The aim of the audit was to assess Crime Prevention’s programs and to assess the outcomes achieved by the portfolio.
During the audit it was identified that many of the proposed recommendations had already been identified internally and were in the process of being implemented. The final report into the recommendations has been provided to the Chief Police Officer.
During this reporting period a review of the role provided by our Victim Liaison Officers was commissioned to ensure that they are appropriately deployed and employed within our organisation.
The review is being conducted by Mrs Helen Judd, a former Victim Liaison Officer, and examines issues such as the recruitment, training and retention of Victim Liaison Officer’s, processes for referring victims both internally and externally and the efficacy of relevant legislation.
The final outcomes of the review will be considered in conjunction with the Victims of Crime Referral Survey being conducted by the Australian Institute of Criminology.
There have been no Legislative Assembly Committee reports directly relating to policing issued in 2008–2009.
In August 2008 the Legislative Assembly Standing Committee on Health and Disability reported on The Early Intervention and Care of Vulnerable Infants. The report included 18 recommendations. While none of the recommendations relate directly to the activities of police, we continue to work closely with ACT Health and other stakeholders to address the underlying causes and factors that contribute to placing children and infants at risk.
As a Commonwealth Government agency, we do not administer any ACT legislation.
We have however had significant policy input into various ACT Government legislative reform projects in 2008–2009, including:
We also made submissions to government seeking amendment of a number of pieces of legislation with a view to better equipping us to tackle crime and public order issues within the territory. Proposed amendments also sought to contribute to the ACT’s road safety strategy.
Consideration of the proposed amendments is currently underway.
We made a submission to the Standing Committee on Justice and Community Safety regarding the Crimes (Murder) Amendment Bill 2008. Our submission highlighted current inconsistencies between ACT and interstate legislation relating to the offence of murder, and recommended specific amendments to ACT legislation. The review into this legislation is currently underway.
One Saturday evening uniform patrol members were directed to attend an address in Lyneham after Operations received a call from a very distressed female stating that an ex partner had broken a window next to the front door trying to break into the house.
Due to the seriousness of the situation a number of patrols attended the location and ascertained that the male person had not gotten into the house but was hiding in a large area of bushes at the front of the residence.
Uniform members isolated an area about 20 metres in diameter where the male person was hiding. Attempts to talk the male person out of the bushes were unsuccessful and the K9 patrol member was about to release his dog to locate the male, when he came out of the bushes on his own accord, a little worse for wear.
Apparently he had been lying in a patch of poison ivy waiting for police to leave. Whilst that on it’s own was extremely uncomfortable for him, the experience was made even more unbearable by the fact that he had cut his arm on the window he had broken earlier and had been lying on it in the ivy….
ACT Policing’s Risk Management Plan provides the risk management framework for our organisation and incorporates the ACT Policing Security and Business Continuity Plans. Our risk management processes adhere to the Australian/New Zealand Standard – AS/NZ 4360– 2004 on risk management. We also conform to all AFP policies and processes that apply to risk management.
Risk management is an essential component of our organisation’s governance framework and is essential to the AFP in meeting its strategic objectives. Risk implications are identified through a rigorous risk assessment process incorporated into all AFP planning and management processes and are integrated into business processes by:
Our organisation maintains a Risk Register of identifiable risks. The Risk Register itemises the risks impacting on our capabilities, strategic focus areas as well as our Occupational Health and Safety obligations. The register is a key planning tool in our functional business planning processes.
The Risk Register is reviewed and assessed every six months to ensure that current risk treatments are effective and to identify new or emerging risks. The results are reported to the AFP Senior Leadership Group.
AFP internal audit arrangements provide the AFP Commissioner with an independent and objective assurance on the AFP’s risk, control and compliance framework, and its external accountability responsibilities.
Our organisation is represented on the AFP Audit Committee by the Chief Police Officer. Audit Committee meetings are held quarterly or more frequently if required. We were previously represented by the Deputy Chief Police Officer – Response who attended five Audit Committee meetings during the 2008–2009 year.
Representatives of the Commonwealth Auditor-General’s Financial Statement Audit and Performance Audit arms have a standing invitation to observe and to contribute as they see fit at all meetings of the Audit Committee.
The Audit Committee operates under a Charter approved by the Commissioner, and is empowered to approve the strategic audit plan and the annual internal audit program of the AFP. Furthermore, the Audit Committee reviews all completed internal audit reports in the first instance. Further information on AFP internal audit arrangements can be found in the AFP Annual Report.
The AFP Fraud Control and Anti-Corruption Plan 2007– 2009 addresses the fraud and corruption risks of the AFP. As part of the Plan, the AFP continually conducts reviews of all identified risks and risk assessments to identify new and emerging risks.
Our organisation operates under the AFP Fraud Control and Anti-Corruption Plan 2007–2009. The Plan provides the framework for the management of fraud and corruption in our organisation and the plan is consistent with the requirements of the Financial Management Accountability Act 1997 and the Commonwealth Fraud Control Guidelines.
The effectiveness of fraud and corruption control in the AFP is continually monitored through environmental scanning and complaint/compliance analysis, with emphasis on the identification of emerging organisational fraud and/or corruption trends.
AFP Fraud Control and Anti-Corruption Plan compliance reviews are conducted on an ongoing basis with the results reported to the Audit Committee each six months. Externally, AFP fraud statistics are reported to the Commonwealth Attorney General’s Department annually.
Fraud and corruption awareness training is delivered to all new employees and recruits as part of our new employee orientation and recruit training programs. Fraud and corruption control and awareness is further promulgated throughout our organisation through education and leadership programs, performance management strategies and Professional Standards training.
There were no allegations of fraud recorded against our members during the reporting period.
As a Commonwealth Agency, our management of public interest disclosure is in accordance with the information disclosure provisions of the Australian Federal Police Act 1979 and other Commonwealth legislation.
Allegations of improper or corrupt conduct by our members may, depending on the severity of the alleged conduct, be investigated by the AFP’s Professional Standards portfolio, the Commonwealth Ombudsman or the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity.
We also maintain a program designed to provide support, information and options for our members who report the activity or conduct of others that is contrary to the professional standards of the AFP. The Confidant Network is a key component of the AFP’s integrity framework. At June 2009 our organisation had 21 active Confidants and the AFP as a whole had 220 active Confidants.
Further details are available in Section C.5—Internal Accountability in this report and in the AFP Annual Report.
As the provider of policing services to the ACT Government and community, we also investigate incidents of alleged unlawful disclosure of information. In this reporting period, there were three established complaints of information misuse by our members.
As a Commonwealth Agency, we operate under the Freedom of Information Act 1982. Requests for information under the Act are managed by the AFP’s Freedom of Information Team.
The AFP website, www.afp.gov.au, lists documents available for inspection and purchase in accordance with the Act and provides contact details for the Freedom of Information Team and assistance with applying for documents.
Details regarding freedom of information requests received by the AFP during the reporting period are detailed in the AFP Annual Report.
Our Executive comprises of a Chief Police Officer, Deputy Chief Police Officer – Investigations and Support, Deputy Chief Police Officer – Response and the Director Corporate Services.
The Chief Police Officer for the Australian Capital Territory is Assistant Commissioner Michael Phelan, APM. The Chief Police Officer is subject to the authority of the Commissioner of the AFP and is responsible to the ACT Minister for Police and Emergency Services for the achievement of the policing outcome and delivery of outputs set out in the annual Purchase Agreement. The Chief Police Officer is responsible for the general management and control of AFP personnel and resources deployed for the purposes of the Policing Arrangement between the Commonwealth and ACT Governments.
The appointment of Deputy Chief Police Officer – Response was vacated by Commander Leanne Close, APM during the reporting period and has been filled by Superintendent Mark Colbran and Superintendent Michael Chew under acting arrangements. The appointment is to be substantively filled by Commander Bruce Hill in July 2009. The Deputy Chief Police Officer – Response is responsible for the management of North District General Duties, South District General Duties, Traffic Operations, Specialist Response and Security and the Property, Drugs and Firearms Registries.
The appointment of Deputy Chief Police Officer – Investigations and Support was vacated by Commander Shane Connelly, APM during the reporting period. Commander Connelly was replaced by Commander Kevin Zuccato. The Deputy Chief Police Officer – Investigations and Support is responsible for the management of specialised policing services which include the Territory Investigations Group, ACT Policing Operations, ACT Policing Intelligence, Prosecution and Judicial Support and Crime Prevention.
The Director Corporate Services is Mr Paul Williams. The Director Corporate Services is responsible for the portfolios that deliver enabling services to support frontline policing services to the ACT community. These include Policy, Performance and Planning, Finance and Logistics, People Strategies, and Media and Marketing.
We are governed by two senior committees, the Executive Committee and the Executive Steering Committee.
The Executive Committee consists of the Chief Police Officer (Chair), Deputy Chief Police Officer – Investigations and Support, Deputy Chief Police Officer – Response and Director Corporate Services.
The role of the Executive Committee is to:
The Executive Committee meets fortnightly to discuss performance and structural issues and to monitor strategic priorities including resource management and budgets. Executive Committee meetings also afford opportunities for senior management to brief our Executive on operational outcomes, major initiatives and emerging issues.
Membership of the Executive Steering Committee includes all our Superintendents and Coordinators. Members of the Executive Committee may also participate in the forum.
The role of the Executive Steering Committee is to:
The performance of our organisation is monitored by the Executive Steering Committee. Output Managers present quarterly reports to the Executive Steering Committee outlining performance against the Purchase Agreement and other performance KPIs, along with information relating to significant events, activities and plans for addressing emerging issues. The Executive Steering Committee also provides senior managers with a forum to raise ideas or issues of concern to our organisation.
Remuneration for senior executives of our organisation is determined in accordance with the Commissioner’s directions.
The role of the Operations Committee is to facilitate effective communication among all our business areas and to provide a forum for decisions regarding operational resource allocations and priorities. All Police Station Officers in Charge and portfolio Operations Managers are members of the Operations Committee.
Specific responsibilities of the Operations Committee include:
In 2006, a Complaints Recording and Management System was introduced to manage Category 1 and Category 2 conduct issues involving our members. This system is utilised by the Complaint Management Team, which includes Officers in Charge of Police Stations and Operations Managers from key portfolios. The Team manages complaints, assigns investigators, reviews categorisation of matters, manages timeliness of investigations, reviews investigation reports, determines findings, applies outcomes and finalises matters.
AFP Professional Standards provides advice to the Complaint Management Team as required and conducts quality assurance reviews to ensure consistency of applied outcomes across all AFP business areas.
There are five categories for complaints made to the AFP as follows:
Category 0 includes matters that were incorrectly recorded as complaints.
Category 1 conduct is inappropriate conduct that:
Potential outcomes for an established Category 1 conduct issue include training and development action with may be linked to Personal Development Agreement objectives. Training and development action includes coaching, mentoring, training programs, development activities or increased supervision.
Category 2 conduct includes:
Potential outcomes for an established Category 2 conduct issue involve remedial action which can include counselling, formal warning and recording of an adverse finding.
Category 3 conduct includes matters such as serious breaches of the code of conduct, directions or procedures.
Category 4 is the highest level and includes such matters as bribery, corruption, criminal conduct and perjury. AFP Professional Standards investigates Category 3 and Category 4 complaints.
The Commissioner may determine that no further action be taken in regards to a complaint in relation to AFP conduct or practices under Section 40TF of the Australian Federal Police Act 1979. Some examples of circumstances where this may occur include:
If the complainant does not agree with the decision, an appeal can be lodged with the Commonwealth Ombudsman.
| Total Complaints | Codings with complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| Category 0 | 17 | 34 |
| Category 1 | 123 | 196 |
| Category 2 | 130 | 297 |
| Category 3 | 108 | 302 |
| Category 4 | 5 | 7 |
| Totals | 383 | 836 |
Source: AFP Professional Standards PROMIS
Notes:
Codings are individual issues identified within a complaint. Multiple codings may be applied where two or more complaint issues are identified from information supplied by a complainant or where two or more members are subject to the complaint. Category 0 refers to complaints withdrawn by the complainant.
The total number of complaints increased during this reporting period when compared to the previous year. During the reporting period, there were a total of 383 Category 0–4 complaints recorded against our organisation. Of the 383 complaints, just over 16.19% were either self-reported or reported by an AFP appointee.
There were 836 codings from these complaints, of which 62 codings were established, 395 codings were not established and eight codings were withdrawn. The AFP exercised discretion under section 40TF of the Australian Federal Police act 1979 not to further investigate 65 of these matters and the remaining 306 matters are still pending resolution.
In 1996 the Confidant Network (initially as the Professional Reporting Program) was created after recommendations made by the Ombudsman and the AFP on the treatment of employees who came forward with reports of misconduct. The initial development of the program was modified to incorporate the findings from the Wood Royal Commission into the New South Wales Police Service based on problems encountered by ‘whistleblowers’ when reporting inappropriate behaviour within that organisation.
The purpose of the Confidant Network is to provide information, options and support to AFP appointees about reporting and management of behaviours that may be contrary to the professional standards of the AFP. The Confidant Network is one option for employees to report criminal and/or corrupt behaviour and behaviour that breaches the core values of the AFP.
The Coordinator Confidant Network is directly accountable to the AFP Manager People Strategies. The Coordinator Confidant Network oversights the Confidant Network Coordination Team, which in turn supports approximately 220 trained Confidants throughout the AFP, located nationally and internationally. There are 21 active Confidants in ACT Policing.
The activities of the Confidant Network Coordination Team during the reporting period included:
In this reporting period, the Confidant Network received 152 referrals indicated by the following reporting categories:
During this reporting period 126 referrals were finalised with 26 referrals remaining active at the end of the Financial Year.
51 of the referrals to the Confidant Network were resolved through management action at Team Leader level and above. 27 matters were referred to AFP Professional Standards and 16 to the Wellbeing Network. One matter was referred to the Australian Federal Police Association for resolution. The remaining finalised matters were successfully resolved without further referral.
Of these referrals, 13 were received from our organisation. The categories for these referrals were:
Five of the referrals to the Confidant Network were resolved through management action at Team Leader level and above. Three matters were referred to Professional Reporting Standards and one to the Wellbeing Network. The remaining finalised matters were successfully resolved without further referral.
The role of our Occupational Health and Safety Committee is to assess and recommend controls to mitigate risks in the workplace. The committee has the following specific responsibilities:
The Learning and Development Committee ensures a coordinated and consultative approach is taken to the learning and development needs of our staff. The Chair of the Committee (currently the Deputy Chief Police Officer-Response) is accountable for the decisions and outcomes reached by the Committee. The role of Committee Members is to provide the Chair with relevant advice in support of his or her accountability to the Chief Police Officer.
The specific responsibilities of the Committee are to:
As part of its AFP’s Drug Free Workforce Program, the AFP has adopted a policy promoting a zero tolerance to prohibited drugs. This policy is integral to the success of the organisation’s drug testing strategy. The AFP Drug Testing program relies on detecting the presence of prohibited drugs, specifically narcotic substances within the meaning of the Customs ACT 1901, Schedule IV and other drugs declared to be prohibited by the Commissioner (under authority of Sections 4 and 4A of the Australian Federal Police Act 1979).
The key components of the AFP’s drug testing strategy include:
The Radio Communications Team comprises of ten members and is based at the Weston Police Complex. The team normally works business hours, however they also provide an On Call Technical Officer who provides 24 hours, seven days a week coverage.
The Radio Communications Team provides technical support and assistance to our operational members. Support includes the maintenance and development of the radio system, radio networks and the installation of equipment in all our marked and unmarked vehicles. Currently the team is in the process of installing In Car technology in all our vehicles.
The Radio Communications Team also provides technical assistance and deploys with members of the Negotiation Team and the Specialist Response and Security Search and Rescue Team as required.
The team is also responsible for the repair, maintenance and calibration of the following systems used by our organisation.
The ACT Policing Strategic Plan 2008–2011 was released in August 2008. The plan defines our strategic objectives and elements of those objectives.
We deliver quarterly and annual operational and financial performance reports to government in accordance with the requirements of annual Purchase Agreements. All reports are subjected to ACT Government scrutiny and the annual performance report is also audited by the Australian National Audit Office.
Our workforce profile is aligned and managed using a workforce planning model. The model is applied by the Workforce Planning Team which is responsible for strategic and operational workforce planning, unsworn recruitment, assistance with sworn recruitment and reporting on our utilisation of human resources.
The model enables our Executive to:
ACT Policing Human Resources assists AFP in sworn recruitment and directly recruits unsworn staff. Human Resources also coordinates a Career Introduction Program in regional secondary schools to promote career paths available within our organisation and the wider AFP. The Human Resources portfolio is also an active stakeholder in the AFP Graduate Program and provides a liaison role to facilitate our participation in the program
The Human Resources Operations Team is responsible for the coordination of training, the management of day to day rostering of sworn personnel, management of Performance Development Agreements and the payment of appropriate allowances and entitlements under the auspices of the AFP’s industrial arrangements.
The Occupational Health and Safety and Rehabilitation Team is responsible for the management of workplace injuries, rehabilitation and graduated return to work arrangements for employees who have been injured in the course of duty. The Team also provides advice on Occupational Health and Safety policy, practical interventions in the workplace and risk management issues to our Executive, management and staff. Members of this Team also provide advice and a secretariat service to our Occupational Health and Safety Committee.
One Saturday evening uniform patrol members were flagged down by a very distressed female. The female advised patrol members that she suffers from arachnophobia and had found a spider in her bedroom. As such she was scared to go back in the house, which she was staying in by herself.
Always willing to help members of the public, the patrol members were quick to enter the house and locate the rather large Huntsman on the bedroom wall. Whilst one member looked after the welfare of the distressed female (perhaps not being a fan of spiders either) the other member promptly dispatched of the Huntsman out the back door and away from the premises.
Welfare Services provide welfare and chaplaincy support to our members and related advice to our Executive and management. The Welfare Officers and Chaplain are available on a 24 hour a day, seven days a week basis for members who request welfare assistance. The Chaplain also provides for the spiritual welfare and pastoral care of employees and their families.
The AFP Volunteers in Policing Program currently has 44 Police Volunteers (26 females and 18 males) who come from a wide range of backgrounds Our volunteers range in age from thirty seven to eighty years. Volunteer roles include:
In May 2009, Police Volunteer Eileen Jones won the ACT Volunteer of the Year Award (Emergency Services Category) The Programme has now won this award for three years in a row.
As of June 2009, Police Volunteers had contributed 80,591 voluntary unpaid hours since the Programme commenced in December 2001. In this reporting period, a total of 12,636 hours was achieved by Police Volunteers – an average of 1053 hours per month for the reporting period.
Since its inception, the Programme continues to achieve in excess of 880 hours per month.
Figure C.1—Comparative chart for Financial Years 2007–2008 and 2008–2009
These achievements free up our operational members, enabling them focus on higher priority policing matters consistent with core policing business.
During the reporting period, a total of 10 Police Volunteers were sworn in as Justices of the Peace. Additionally, another five Police Volunteers successfully completed their Justice of the Peace training and are awaiting swearing in.
In October 2008, the Programme commenced a weekend on-call Justice of the Peace Roster to assist members of our Service & Process Team. An audit of Justice of the Peace activity for the reporting period, shows that Justices of the Peace witnessed and certified a total of 24,932 documents comprising 12,784 for our members and 12,148 for members of the public.
In May 2009, Livescan fingerprint machines were installed at Woden, City and Tuggeranong Stations increasing the Volunteer Programme’s capacity to take consensual fingerprints from members of the public. Police Volunteers selected to perform this role have undergone intensive training on Livescan techniques.
We continue to strive for a workforce that is reflective of the community it serves. The recruitment strategies of the AFP aim to attract people to our organisation from a wide variety of backgrounds, with wide ranging life experience that reflects the community we serve.
The continuation of initiatives that ensure employees have an appropriate balance between their work and personal lives is one method by which we attract and retain a diverse range of employees. Some of these initiatives include the availability of carers’ rooms, training and personal development opportunities and part-time, job-share or home-based work options.
Human Resources has contributed to the development of key sworn member base recruitment programs and themes. These programs and themes include targeting multiple audiences and demographic groups including multi-cultural groups, rural communities and women. When considering how our workforce is constituted, the needs of the community are always considered alongside the needs and circumstances of the individual to be deployed.
We maintain a strong relationship with NSW Police through Monaro and Yass Local Area Commands. A total of 252 of our sworn members have been declared NSW Special Constables. A total of 56 NSW police members have been declared as ACT Police Special Members. This arrangement enhances the operational capability of our members to police cross-border issues.
During 2008, a team based training initiative known as the Skills Maintenance Program was implemented. This is a compulsory team based training day which consists of two of the following five modules.
Each member attended one Skills Maintenance Training Day during 2008 and will attend one day each subsequent year, so that training for all the skill types is attended and continually updated. The aim of the program is therefore to increase and maintain the skill base of our members.
Police liaise with a local Neighbourhood Watch Representative
Our mission is to keep the peace and preserve public safety within the ACT through the provision of quality policing services. It is not possible to deliver quality policing services over time, and in demanding circumstances, without professional, experienced and capable leadership, particularly at Team Leader level.
Skills can be created by study and practical application, but experience can only be developed as a consequence of exposure to a variety of workplace conditions.
We will continue to facilitate the development of professional policing skills by investing in formal learning and development programs for access by all Team Leaders. Experiential development will be delivered through a formal role rotation strategy that will expose leaders to a broader range of policing disciplines.
The requirement for our members to deliver a wide range of policing services is well documented. The Australian Federal Police Strategic Plan 2007–2011 requires that members be capable, agile and adaptable. A key objective of the ACT Policing Strategic Plan 2008 is the creation of a workforce that delivers a professional policing service that contributes to AFP capabilities and embraces professional development opportunities.
The purpose of this Strategy is to formalise requirements for sworn Team Leaders to be rotated across policing disciplines within our organisation according to prescribed timelines. The strategy will:
As at 30 June 2009, approximately 73% of staff providing services to our organisation were sworn members. Of the 691.4 sworn members, 1.6% held the rank of Superintendent or higher.
During the reporting period, approximately 22.4% of sworn members in our organisation were woman. This figure is stable when compared to 2007–2008 (22.4%). Of this number, most are at the Constable level (86%), a slight increase from 82.4% as at 30 June 2008, with approximately 12.3% at the Sergeant level, a decrease from 16.4% as at 30 June 2008.
A total of 57.5% of the unsworn staff providing services to our organisation, are female. Female employees comprised approximately 32% of the total employee number during this reporting period. This result is similar to the 2007–2008 figure of 31.4%.
A total of 98 new employees began their careers with our organisation this reporting period. Of these, 59 were police recruits and 39 were unsworn employees.
Figure C.2 indicates the breakdown of average length of service of our employees. It can be seen that at present, the largest group of employees have between one and five years experience in the job. A pro-active recruiting campaign over the past five years, as well as increases in government funded staffing levels, have contributed to the relatively low experience levels within our organisation. However, as can be seen in Figure C.3, many of our current staff are represented in the 25–29 and 30–35 age brackets. This indicates that many of the new recruits have bought a diverse range of life experiences and higher level of maturity into the job. These relatively inexperienced members are supported by the significant block of more experienced officers who have between six to ten years of experience as well as senior management.
Source: ACT Policing Human Resources
Note: Includes Enabling Services (95) and excludes personnel working on Commonwealth matters and Inoperative Pool Unpaid.
Numbers are not whole personnel as individuals are attributed on the basis of the percentage of time they spend on ACT Policing activities, recorded as at final pay for the financial year 2008–2009.
These figures are based on substantive ranks and do not include periods of higher duties.
Figure C.2—ACT Policing Employees Length of Service 2008–2009
Figure C.3—ACT Policing Employees Age Profiles 2008–2009
Our Learning and Development Team delivers programmes to enhance our staff capabilities.
Training Officers coordinate the delivery of training programmes to our sworn and unsworn members. Some of the programs undertaken are detailed below:
Human Rights Training is a half-day workshop, developed in consultation with the ACT Human Rights Commission, that ensures our sworn members are familiar with the ACT Human Rights Act 2004 and the associated human rights considerations when performing their duties in the ACT.
All sworn members have completed this training and it is now given to all our recruit courses and any unsworn staff members deemed suitable to receive it by management.
The AFP’s policy on operational safety provides a range of options that, when justified, may be used to effectively execute police powers whilst maintaining the safety of our members, other team members, persons of interest and members of the public.
The Commissioner’s Order 3 is a compliance document that establishes the Operational Safety Committee as the governing body for all operational safety training, administration and policy. The order also requires AFP employees with police powers, and who do not have a medical exemption, to complete an annual Operational Safety Assessment.
The following operational courses are also conducted:
In June 2009, AFP Online Learning (AFPOLL) was replaced by iAspire. iAspire is a learning management system designed to meet our members personal and professional development needs as well as providing a framework to deliver measurable information to our management. iAspire is used to enhance and support more traditional methods of training delivery.
A sample of courses available on iAspire (but not limited to) include:
The Specialist Response and Security portfolio has a designated tactical training team to manage the development and delivery of training programs. The programs ensure that Specialist Response and Security Tactical Response members acquire and maintain basic skills, develop and enhance advanced skills and are prepared for deployment in support of our operations at all times.
The training is provided in accordance with the three core functions of Specialist Response and Security which include tactical police, public order and rural search and rescue. The Tactical Training Team also facilitates and delivers training to other AFP areas and Commonwealth agencies including AFP National Offices, the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service and the ACT Fire Brigade. Training includes confined space entry and rescue, roping skills, utilisation of breathing apparatus and tactical skills.
Media Training and Awareness Workshops have been introduced to provide our members with basic media interview training, awareness of what the media is looking for in a case and what information can and cannot generally be released and why.
This training is designed for sworn operational members from the ranks of constable to sergeant. At the end of this reporting period, 70 members have completed this training.
A five day ACT Law and Practices Workshop has been introduced to address current legal issues, updates in legislation and updated procedures within our organisation.
This training is designed for sworn operational Team Leaders or Sergeants to better assist members to make informed decisions about prosecutions and to prepare court documentation that meets the needs of the ACT Courts. During the reporting period, 57 members completed this training.
The fundamental aim of the AFP employment framework is to ensure the organisation has ‘the right kind of people, in the right place, and at the right time, delivering the right product, at the right cost’.
The Federal Police Development Program and the Federal Police Lateral Program train new entrants in the skills and knowledge required to operate as a sworn member of the AFP.
Over the reporting period, a total of four ACT Policing Federal Police Development Programs were conducted and a total of 59 police recruits were sworn in as Constables.
Through the School of Community Policing at the AFP College in Barton, we offer a number of courses which enable sworn members to increase their skill base and career options.
The ACT Investigators Training Program provides a basis for sworn members to develop the skills and knowledge required to conduct and manage complex and protracted criminal investigations. During the reporting period 12 members completed this training.
The Constables Development Program is designed to consolidate and enhance core policing knowledge and skills to build on leadership skills through practical scenarios, oral presentations, documents submissions and examinations. During the reporting period 36 members completed this training.
The Homicide Investigation Program is designed to develop the skills required to successfully investigate homicide offences in the ACT. During the reporting period 23 members completed this training.
The Sexual Offences Investigators Program develops member’s skills to conduct and manage investigations into sexual assault and child abuse matters.
The Specialist Response and Security Dog Team provides a general purpose, drug detection and explosive detection canine response capability to our members. The Specialist Response and Security Dog Team has four handlers who are responsible for four general purpose dogs, two drug detection dogs, and one explosive detection dog.
The major role of the Specialist Response and Security Dog Team is to provide the ACT with a general purpose response to tasks including the search for persons of interest including offenders, missing people and people at risk of harm. Dogs are also employed to search for physical evidence.
The methods and environments general purpose dog teams are deployed in include:
General purpose dog teams are also used for:
Drug detection dogs search in various environments including:
Explosive detection dog teams are able to detect a wide range of explosives and components used with explosives.
Explosive detection dogs are deployed with the Bomb Response Team at incidents including:
The Interviewing of Vulnerable Witnesses Program commenced in February 2009. This training was developed in response to new legislation, The Sexual and Violent Offences Amendment Act 2008 which makes amendments to both the Magistrate Courts Act 1930 and the Evidence (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1991.
The new legislation, which came into effect in May 2009, legislates that only members who have participated in the Interviewing of Vulnerable Witnesses Program will be allowed to interview child or intellectually impaired victims for a sexual and/or violent offence.
The legislation also provides the court with the discretion to admit the interview as the child’s evidence-in-chief. This is a significant step forward for both our organisation and the ACT Court System in improving the management of child victims of sexual and violent offences.
Our members attend three days of face-to-face theory and scenario based training, before returning to the workplace for three weeks to complete a series of activities to reinforce the first phase of training. Our members then return after a month for two final face-to-face days of practical interview assessments.
We have engaged Professor Martine Powell to deliver part of the training. Professor Powell is one of Australia’s leading experts in child witness testimony. She has worked in the area of child interviewing for the past 14 years and holds both national and international recognition for her research in this field.
The training also supports the recent Sexual Assault Reform Program findings.
The ACT Policing Operations portfolio has conducted a number of training courses during the reporting period.
Unsworn members of ACT Policing Operations undertake a six week ACT Policing Operations Team Member Induction Program. During this program they receive training in evidence, police powers, offences, family violence intervention program, PROMIS usage, intelligence, crime scenes, customer service, telephone procedures, AFP values, computer aided dispatch usage, communication and coordination principles and radio procedures. The team member training is scenario based and concludes with assessments incorporating the application of all these training modules.
ACT Policing Team Leaders also attend a three day ACT Policing Operations Team Leader Program. During this program they receive training in dispatch patrol, media protocols, computer aided dispatch usage, briefings, national security hotline usage, mental health protocols, drug lodgements, preparing audio evidence, emergency mobile phone triangulations and reverse call charge records, pursuit controlling, CBR protocols and ACT Policing radio network and centracom.
Four general graduates, two indigenous graduates and two indigenous entry level trainees have been welcomed into the AFP to begin their careers as part of the 2009 AFP Graduate Program for unsworn personnel. The graduates are embedded into relevant areas for five and a half months. They are subsequently given the opportunity to rotate to another portfolio for four to six weeks before returning to their original area to complete the program.
At present, one member of the AFP Graduate Program is currently employed within our organisation and is attached to the Performance, Evaluation and Review Team.
We monitor employee performance and development via Performance Development Agreements. The Performance Development Agreement National Guideline has been developed by the AFP National Manager Human Resources using power delegated under s.37(1) of the AFP Act 1979 to facilitate effective performance management.
All of our members enter into Performance Development Agreements on a six month basis and their performance is assessed against critical objectives and development goals set by the member and their team leader. Any performance and development needs are then identified and addressed in the next Performance Development Agreement period.
The performance of senior management is monitored via a Charter of Performance and via their Australian Workplace Agreements.
Rural patrol members
Red Nose Day police
During the reporting period we continued to comply with our legal obligations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 1991 and the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988. All safety related documentation is accessible to employees on the AFP intranet.
The AFP National Guideline on Health and Safety Management Arrangements 2007–2012 requires continuous improvement in safety management systems to reduce the risk and incidence of workplace injury and disease. The guideline identifies safety responsibilities, the Occupational Health and Safety consultation framework and processes for resolving disputes. The guideline also identifies the agreed arrangements on the management, promotion and development of measures to ensure the health, safety and welfare of our members at work.
Throughout the reporting period we maintained the Occupational Health and Safety structures and systems specified under legislation. These included:
We maintain 16 Designated Work Groups with Health and Safety Representatives and Deputy Health and Safety Representatives for each. Health and Safety Representative selections are made by staff and the process is facilitated by management. Ten selection exercises were conducted during the reporting period resulting in the appointment of 17 new Health and Safety Representatives and Deputies. A five day training course is provided for Health and Safety Representatives and Deputies through an external, Comcare accredited provider.
Our Occupational Health and Safety Committee continued its function as a key consultative forum on safety matters with four monthly meetings. The Committee includes all Health and Safety Representatives, Occupational Health and Safety Advisors, and senior management representatives from policing operations, finance and human resources.
Traffic Police wait to provide motorcade for visiting dignitary
During the reporting period a number of Occupational Health and Safety related health monitoring and prevention programs operated to target specific hazards. These included:
During the reporting period there were 38 incidents notified to Comcare under section 68 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 1991. These comprised:
There were no provisional improvement notices issued by our health and safety representatives during the reporting period.
In their role as the Occupational Health and Safety Act 1991 regulator Comcare initiated one investigation into safety incidents during the reporting period. This was an incident in which a swimmer was injured by one of our vessels on Lake Burley Griffin. During the year Comcare also continued an ongoing investigation into accidental discharges of firearms.
ACT WorkCover also conducted one investigation into an incident in which a contractor was injured by a power tool while working on one of our premises.
Our internal incident reporting data reflects a 20% increase in incident reports during the reporting period, following a slight reduction during the previous year (Table C.3 below relates). In September 2008 the AFP introduced a more user friendly incident reporting system and conducted training to increase awareness of incident reporting obligations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 1991. This may account for a proportion of the increase in incident reports for the reporting period.
This table identifies all reported safety incidents over a three year period.
Data source: AFP SAP Occupational Health and Safety module as at 14 July 2009
The profile of injuries in our organisation has remained reasonably consistent since last financial year with the significant exception of an increase in reported motor vehicle incidents. The majority of incidents, about 63%, continued to happen in the operational policing role. Being hit by a moving object (eg struck by offender), hitting an object with the body (eg impact injuries), falls from the same level (eg trips) and muscular stress (eg sprains/strains) were the more common operational incidents, usually associated with pursuing, restraining or arresting offenders. Training and fitness activities accounted for about 20% of all incidents – predominantly resulting in muscular stress injuries (eg sprain/strain). Training and fitness injuries were usually less serious and incurred minimal time off work.
There continued to be a high incidence of contact with/ exposure to biological hazards. These incidents arise in policing operations when officers come into contact with bodily fluids or are spat at while dealing with offenders or prisoners.
(As per Australian Standard 1885.1–1990)
A lost-time injury/disease is defined to be an occurrence that results in a fatality, permanent disability or time lost from work of one complete day/shift or more. The following table compares lost time injury figures over three years.
Data source: AFP SAP OH&S module as at 14 July 2009
DEFINITIONS:
Lost Time Incident Rate – The number of lost time incidents for each one
hundred workers employed. Average Lost
Time Rate – The average of working days lost per lost time incident. This
rate provides a measure of the severity of injuries being experienced by workplaces
over time.
Table C4 (above) indicates that the number of incidents resulting in lost time
of a day/shift remained consistent, but that the average lost time rate and
number of lost working days increased significantly over the reporting period.
This increase was driven by a small number of serious injuries which resulted
in very long periods of time off work.
Police search under Commonwealth Avenue Bridge for a missing person
Comcare accepted liability for 55 new compensation claims during the reporting period compared to 48 claims in the 2007–2008 reporting period. This is the first increase in annual claim numbers experienced by our organisation in a number of years. At June 2009 we had a total of 89 active compensation claims compared to 90 at June 2008.
The AFP is committed to providing a workplace based occupational rehabilitation services to all employees and we employ expert Rehabilitation Case Managers. Their role is to coordinate the workplace and external medical and rehabilitation services so as to achieve an early and safe return to work for injured employees.
Training is provided to our managers and team leaders on compensation and rehabilitation processes, including the management of staff with injury/disease during treatment and recovery. All our members are trained to promptly report accidents, injuries and illness to trigger appropriate compensation and rehabilitation action.
Our Australian Workplace Agreements are individual agreements between the AFP as the employer and the employee. The AFP Commissioner was authorised to negotiate and sign Australian Workplace Agreements. The Australian Workplace Agreements for the AFP were made under the Workplace Relations Act 1996.
We provided Australian Workplace Agreements as a way of attracting and retaining highly skilled professionals. The total number of Australian Workplace Agreements within our organisation currently stands at six. The remuneration range for the Australian Workplace Agreements is $133,000 to $150,000 and the nominal expiry date of all our Australian Workplace Agreements is 30 June 2011.
An individual Transitional Employment Agreement is a special transitional instrument that has been made available during the current transition to a new workplace relations system. They are individual employment agreements made between an employer and employee where the employee would otherwise be covered by an award, workplace agreement or enterprise collective agreement. We currently have one member on a supplementary contract under the Individual Transitional Employment Agreement.
We do not manage for own unleased Territory Land and are therefore not required to have a strategic bushfire management plan.
The majority of facilities and infrastructure used by our organisation is owned by the ACT Government. Strategic asset management is the responsibility of the ACT Department of Justice and Community Safety with the AFP providing input where required.
In this reporting period we managed assets with a total value of $5.2m at June 2009. The majority of these assets are police and office equipment ($4.3m) and software ($0.35m). During this reporting period we replaced a number of critical equipment items including police radar units and portable radios.
The AFP has a capital management strategy which includes planning for future capital asset needs and ongoing replacement requirements. Our equipment is included in the wider AFP replacement plan.
During this reporting period we undertook major upgrades to Specialist Tactical and bomb response equipment ($0.8m), automatic vehicle locators ($0.3m) and caged vehicle modules ($0.2m). Essential upgrades of the telephone systems at the Belconnen Police and Tuggeranong Stations were completed, upgrading to a Voice Over the Internet Protocol (VOIP) system.
A number of essential upgrades to our facilities were also undertaken and are reported under Capital Works.
Our members are housed within ten separate facilities, seven of which are owned by the ACT Government. While the bulk of facilities provide non-office environments the total floor space is approximately 22,351 square metres with an average per employee of 24 square metres.
One afternoon uniform patrol members were requested to attend an address in Flynn after Operations received a report of a boy (approx 14–15yrs of age) being tied to a light pole.
Attending patrol members were quite surprised and amused when they arrived at the location to find that a boy had indeed been tied to a light pole in the street – with glad wrap.
The patrol members were advised by friends of the boy that he had lost a bet with his cousin and his ‘punishment’ was that he had to be glad wrapped to the light pole for a period of time.
Quite an amount of glad wrap had been used as the boy was wrapped from just below his neck to his ankles. He also had a moustache drawn on his face for good measure. His friends were taking good care of him however, feeding him biscuits and giving him water.
The uniform patrol members ascertained that the boy still had good circulation and due to the fact that his time was almost up, left the boy in the care of his friends to attend more pressing police matters.
Trail bike Police Officers on patrol
As the AFP is a Commonwealth Agency, the ACT Greenhouse Strategy does not apply. The AFP does however, in the interests of the environment and fiscal responsibility, minimise energy usage wherever possible.
For this reporting period the AFP was allocated $211 000 for capital upgrades to our facilities.
The funding allocated to our organisation was expended on upgrades to the ACT Policing Intelligence facilities ($77 000) and ACT Policing Operations facilities ($107 000) and initial fit out works for the Gungahlin Station to enable 24 hours, seven days a week operation ($27 000). All works were completed prior to 30 June 2009.
The primary capital works project in progress at 30 June 2009 is the design and construction of the new Belconnen Police Station. This project is being managed by ACT Procurement Solutions and funded directly by the ACT Department of Justice and Community Safety.
The AFP is a Commonwealth Agency and therefore falls within the Commonwealth Financial Management and Accountability framework. Under this framework the AFP is required to comply with the Commonwealth Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997, Financial Management and Accountability Regulations 1997, Financial Management and Accountability Orders 2008 and Commonwealth Procurement Guidelines. This ensures that the procurement processes of our organisation and the wider AFP comply with the core principles of efficient, effective and ethical use of public funds.
Under Commonwealth Procurement Guidelines the AFP is required to undertake the following in relation to purchasing activity:
The AusTender website can be accessed at www.tenders.gov.au
Our Crime Prevention Portfolio has provided a number of grants to the community including the following:
Neighbourhood Watch currently has no major sponsor within the ACT and this funding helped ensure its ongoing success and future growth.
The Safety House initiative over recent years has been used not only by juveniles and youth but the elderly or worried young women.
In 2006–2007, we re-launched the Blue Light Disco Program through the Canberra Police Citizens Youth Club and funding was allocated from last year’s budget to assist with start-up costs and the first events. Blue Light Discos are run as a leading youth crime prevention strategy in other states and are an effective medium for improving our relationships with young people in a relevant youth forum that encourages them to lead positive and well directed lives. This year’s funding will contribute towards continuing and expanding all of these programs.
A uniform patrol was surprised one night while driving along College Street towards CISAC when they observed a group of about 15 people walking across the intersection in front of them – naked.
The group scattered when they saw the Police lights but the uniform members were able to catch up with two females who were a little slower than the rest.
The females stated that they were in their first week of University and the group’s nakedness was result of a dare. The females were quite bashful about getting dressed in front of the officers who politely turned their backs whilst the females put their clothes back on and then drove them back to their homes.
While able to laugh about the incident the uniform members did note however that the boys in the group didn’t seem to be very chivalrous as none of them hung around to make sure the girls were alright….
The AFP National Guideline on the Management of Records sets out the procedures AFP personnel, contractors and consultants must follow in managing official AFP information. Our records are managed in accordance with the requirements of the Commonwealth Protective Security Manual, the Australian Federal Police Act 1979, the Archives Act 1983 and other relevant Commonwealth and Territory legislation.
We do not have a Records Management Plan in the form required under the Territory’s legislation as we are a part of a Commonwealth Government Agency.
As part of the AFP, we are subject to a dual system of accountability and safeguards at the Commonwealth and Territory levels. For example, Commonwealth and Territory legislation set out the circumstances under which a person may be arrested, detained and questioned or the circumstances in which we may use listening devices to obtain information during the course of criminal investigations.
In addition, the AFP has a comprehensive internal corporate governance framework which is a hierarchy of Instruments providing direction and guidance on required employment practices and behaviour in the AFP. The framework has a legislative base provision to invoke disciplinary action in the event that Instruments are contravened. The framework seeks to balance accountability with empowerment and is used to support corporate and individual decision making processes.
Internal corporate governance documentation is subject to regular review. The Ombudsman and other key stakeholders have input into the revision of key policy documents which may potentially impact on human rights including those relating to Use of Force, Care and Protection of Intoxicated Persons and Exhibit Handling.
As discussed in Sections B.1—Community Engagement, C.19—ACT Multicultural Strategy 2006–2009 and C.20—Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Reporting, we maintain close connections with many communities and groups within the ACT. This approach of engagement and cooperation enables us to ensure emerging issues are identified and community concerns about possible encroachments on human rights are understood and addressed openly.
We have not received any requests for assistance in the preparation of the state environment report nor have we been the subject of investigation by the Commissioner.
Our Crime Prevention portfolio maintains a position for a Multicultural Liaison Officer, who works closely with the multicultural community to improve the relationship between our organisation and people from other cultures.
The role of the Multicultural Liaison Officer centres on ensuring new arrivals to Australia understand the role of police and the law.
The topic of human rights has been addressed in Section C.17—Human Rights Act in this report.
We recognise that the ACT Government is keen to ensure that all members of the ACT community are able to access services fairly and equitably.
The Multicultural Liaison Officer liaises extensively with government and non-government agencies to improve services to the multicultural community. During the reporting period, the Multicultural Liaison Officer has provided presentations to agencies such as Department of Immigration and Citizenship, Canberra Multicultural Community Forum, and the ACT Office of Multicultural Affairs. These presentations highlight the role of the Multicultural Liaison Officer and our commitment to supporting all members of the ACT community.
In our Regional Watch House, the Multicultural Liaison Officer has provided translation cards to help ensure persons in custody are aware of all of their rights. Furthermore, persons in custody are entitled to access interpreter services while in custody. A telephone interpreter service is offered to any person where English is not their first language and written interpreter guides are displayed at the charge counter and the cells to allow the person to indicate which language is required.
We recognise that there is a need to work effectively with elderly members of the ACT community to provide services and programs that meet needs in a culturally appropriate manner. As such, approval has been granted to appoint one of our members as an Aged Liaison Officer to provide a greater conduit between our organisation and the aged community.
The Community and Business Liaison Team Leader in Crime Prevention also contributes to the “Elder Abuse Prevention Pathways Project”.
One of the main conduits for our organisation to promote understanding and acceptance with the multicultural community is via events such as the Multicultural Festival, University Orientation Week and significant political occasions.
Crime Prevention’s Multicultural Liaison team and Crime Prevention members attended the Multicultural Festivals Food and Dance Spectacular held in Civic in February 2009.
The focus of our involvement was to strengthen and develop new partnerships with members of Canberra’s multicultural community.
We are also involved with the Australian National University Orientation Week at the start of each year. The Multicultural Liaison Officer provides a stall and delivers presentations during International Students Day.
The Multicultural Liaison Officer has entered into arrangements with each of the tertiary institutions in the ACT to deliver a series of Information Sessions aimed at International Students. International Students are often in Australia for a relatively short time (one to three years) and are often overlooked as being in need of local information.
Other measures taken to improve cultural and religious acceptance within our organisation have included the continuation of internal and external education programs including the Islamic Awareness Program, the Cross Cultural Awareness Training and the Joint Agency Educational Project.
The Islamic Awareness Program is a two-day course designed to develop core cultural competencies for our members on Islamic culture and religion. The program includes topics such as Islam and Muslims in History, what is Islam, foundation texts in Islam, Muslims in Australia, Islam’s entry to South East Asia, Islam and Colonialism in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines, Shariah revival in Indonesia and Militant Islamic Movements.
Cross Cultural Awareness Training is included in our new recruit courses to provide our members with enhanced cultural competencies. The training is intended to develop our self-awareness of cross-cultural encounters, an appreciation of the link between cultural values, and consequent beliefs and behaviours and how to apply a flexible approach to effective communications with other cultures. The training involves formal as well as informal sessions, where people with refugee backgrounds attend our recruit training classes to discuss their experiences, perceptions and highlight issues within their community.
This training has also been provided to all our call centre operators and an information package was developed by the Multicultural Liaison Officer and has been delivered to all our stations for use as a quick reference guide for our members. The viability of an online cultural awareness training package is also being considered by the Culture and Language Centre.
Joint Agency Educational Project
The Multicultural Liaison Officer, ACT Government and the Canberra Institute of Technology have developed a program to provide fully-funded places for people, mostly of refugee backgrounds, through the Canberra Institute of Technology. Courses available to participants include Business, Hospitality, Tourism and Kitchen Operations.
Over several weeks in May to July 2009 we became involved with film making courses from the Community Arts Program. The aim of this project was to bring together our members and people from diverse backgrounds to strengthen relationships between minority groups in a safe and secure environment. Participants were exposed to the art of filmmaking during two separate six week short film making courses to produce their own film.
The focus of the workshops is to inspire participants to find and express meaningful and transformative stories that address, explore and dramatise stories that are personal to them. Classes in the Short Story Big Screen courses included topics such as inclusion, harmony, cohesion and participation. The films were centralised around participants’ tribal identity.
The program is marketed to diverse communities, particularly Muslim Australians. It encourages engagement between Muslim and non-Muslim communities and also provides an opportunity for participants to network with people from a variety of backgrounds, including police officers and community support workers. The social networking skills that participants develop during the workshops assists with improving their confidence in us and to encouraged them to become active members of the community.
At the conclusion of the workshops the participants will have their films screened at the National Film and Sound Archive in August 2009.
Crime Prevention and Emergency Services Agencies have also initiated a project for a joint brochure showcasing all of the emergency services in the ACT. The brochure is currently in the design stage.
We recognise the importance of providing appropriate services that address the communication issues affecting clients with a limited proficiency in the English language.
As mentioned previously, we provide access to interpretation and translation services as required. Many of our members are bilingual or multilingual. Our members who are able to speak a second language have their second language clearly displayed on their name badge for easy identification by members of the community. Many of our information brochures are also available in a range of languages.
The Multicultural Liaison Officer has entered into a partnership with the Emergency Services Agency Cultural and Linguistic diversity liaison officer to utilise each agency’s resources and deliver joint presentations.
The Multicultural Liaison Officer sits on a number of committees dedicated to settlement services for newly arrived migrants including the Committee on Migration, Planning and Settlement Services and the Refugee Coordination Committee.
The Multicultural Liaison Officer regularly presents to groups of newly arrived migrants regarding our role and their responsibilities under Australian Law. This is done primarily via the Primary Introductory English Centre, the Secondary Introductory English Centre and the Adult Migrant English Program. Other locations are also utilised on an ad hoc basis. The presentations aim to provide a general understanding of the role of our members in the ACT, as well as information on how, why and when to contact us. They also include a brief introduction to some of the Territory’s laws. The Multicultural Liaison Officer aims to ensure new migrants have a sound understanding of what is socially and legally appropriate while residing in the ACT. The presentations include discussions about the unacceptability of family violence and legal obligations towards property and other members of the community.
We continue to work closely with the wider AFP on matters relating to terrorism. The Community and Business Liaison Team Leader maintains a monthly dialog with AFP’s Protection Intelligence to ensure that effective information sharing is ongoing.
On a local basis, we note that there is a need to address the underlying causes of terrorism including homelessness, social dislocation, isolation and unemployment.
Several successful initiatives have been instigated and managed by the Multicultural Liaison Officer that has seen the relationship between our organisation and different cultural groups enhanced, resulting in information sharing and the delivery of educational packages that have assisted individuals to better assimilate into the ACT community.
Some of the initiatives include sporting programs, home and personal safety programs, strategies to address elder abuse, family violence and child abuse and programs targeted at youth at risk.
We are committed to securing the welfare of children and promoting opportunities to reduce boredom and social isolation in young people.
As mentioned in Section B.1—Community Engagement, the Canberra Police Citizens Youth Club is a leading youth facility, providing innovative and relevant activities in an environment that fosters youth participation.
The Police Citizens Youth Club facilitates programs through the RECLINK program, which aims to ‘introduce, inform and redirect young people at risk to positive recreational activities which promote a safe, healthy, educational and productive use of their leisure time’. RECLINK targets young people aged 12 to 25 years who may be experiencing or are at risk of
The Multicultural Liaison Officer has coordinated a driver training program in collaboration with Multicultural Youth Services. The program aims to provide African youth with attitudinal driver training and practical driving training by a private provider. The first program proved to be a great success in relationship building between our organisation and the youth participating.
The role of the Indigenous Community Liaison Officer focuses on reaching out to ACT’s indigenous community to connect with individuals who have historically, either not had contact with us, or have little or no confidence in Police Officers. This role has succeeded in strengthening relationships through strategic planning, productive use of our indices and web technology, as well as utilizing an exceptionally high level of networking and communication skills.
The Indigenous Community Liaison Officer’s role aims to enhance communication between our members and the indigenous community of the ACT. During the reporting period, the Indigenous Community Liaison Officer facilitated a number of programs for indigenous youth. These programs are designed to develop the interpersonal and team building skills of ‘youth at risk’ to help equip them to make healthier lifestyle choices.
In July 2008 the Indigenous Community Liaison Officer participated in NAIDOC Week. This particular week is intended to promote awareness and collaboration between indigenous and non indigenous people. Our Crime Prevention Indigenous Community Liaison Officer provided sponsorship towards the event that went towards a mobile Rock Climbing Wall and Jumping Castle. The Police Citizens Youth Club also assisted with the festivities and our traffic members were also in attendance.
The Indigenous Community Liaison Officer is also heavily involved with the “On Track Program” which focuses on indigenous students with behavioural issues within ACT schools. The program involves students from ten schools around the ACT and is coordinated through Richardson Primary School. The Indigenous Community Liaison Officer assists with the program on a weekly basis providing advice and mentoring indigenous students. This program focuses on the specific educational requirements of individual students and identifies the specific needs of each individual in an environment that is comfortable to the students.
In this reporting period the Aboriginal Justice Centre invited our members to participate in an indigenous cultural camp for indigenous youths identified as ‘at-risk’. In February 2009, the Indigenous Community Liaison Officer and another member from Crime Prevention attended a camp at Wollombi, New South Wales with a group of eight indigenous youths. The camp provided our members with the opportunity to engage indigenous youth in a positive manner and improve member’s cultural awareness. The information gained by our members attending this camp was used to enhance internal indigenous cultural awareness training.
In April 2009 the Indigenous Community Liaison Officer attended Jervis Bay in partnership with the Police Citizens Youth Club team for a Blue Light disco. The disco was attended by a large number of indigenous persons from the local Wreck Bay community. The following day the Police Citizens Youth Club and the Indigenous Community Liaison Officer conducted a sport and recreation day for the indigenous youth from the Wreck Bay community. The two events proved a huge success and allowed a great forum for the local Jervis Bay Police members to interact with the indigenous community and improve their relationship.
During the reporting period the Indigenous Community Liaison Officer and other Crime Prevention members attended Quamby and Bimberri Juvenile Detention Centres to participate in various sporting activities with indigenous and non-indigenous youths. This provided our members with an opportunity to engage incarcerated youths in a controlled environment and contribute to the rehabilitation process.
Since March 2009, the Indigenous Community Liaison Officer has been working with the Police Citizens Youth Club in providing a mentoring role for indigenous youth who are currently residing at the Narrabundah House hostel. This has been an ongoing process involving sporting activities, cultural activities and one to one mentoring. This program has proven successful with the return to school of one of the participants, with a view to attend college.
The Indigenous Community Liaison Officer also networks heavily with the Aboriginal Justice Centre’s Interview friends program ensuring that access to Interview friends is provided to all relevant indigenous people who require it. As part of this function the Indigenous Community Liaison Officer is responsible for updating and advising patrols of contact information for the interview friends program.
The Indigenous Community Liaison Officer maintains ties with the local indigenous Elders, both acknowledging and respecting their knowledge and input to local indigenous issues and the Canberra community.
The Indigenous Community Liaison Officer role will this year benefit from a second Indigenous Community Liaison Officer position. The expanded team will work alongside project officers to research and develop strategies that assist the indigenous community. The indigenous liaison portfolio is currently working on a strategy that will identify Indigenous Liaison Officers at each station to form part of a wider Police Indigenous Community Liaison Network.
As a Commonwealth Agency the reporting requirements of the ACT Environment Protection Act 1997 do not apply. Our organisation does however, take its responsibilities towards the environment seriously.
Environmentally sustainable principles and practices are being integrated into the design, construction and operation of our facilities, including:
The instructions provided to the designers of the new Belconnen Police Station include the following specific Environment Sustainability Design requirements:
We ensure that environmental considerations are taken into account when purchasing office furniture and equipment. We also have a comprehensive recycling program for paper, toner cartridges, metal and fluorescent tubes.
The total ACT Policing fleet at 30 June 2009 comprised 185 motor vehicles and 26 motor cycles. A break down of the vehicles by fuel type showing the estimated greenhouse emissions is shown below.
| Fuel Type | Vehicles | Estimated CO2 Emissions (tones) |
|---|---|---|
| LPG | 15 | 126 |
| Hybrid | 3 | 5 |
| Diesel | 36 | 283 |
| ULP | 157 | 1,014 |
| Total | 211 | 1,428 |
During this reporting period we continued to meet the targets set by the Australian Greenhouse Office in relation to the number of vehicles achieving a Green Vehicle Guide score of more than ten. We also continued to encourage the use of ethanol-blended fuels during the reporting period.
During this reporting period we implemented a number of changes to the composition of the vehicle fleet aimed at reducing emissions. These included the move to lower emission vehicles including hybrid, turbo diesel, LPG and lower emission petrol vehicles. These changes have resulted in a 9% reduction in the estimated vehicle emissions. We will continue to look at additional strategies to reduce vehicle emissions including trialling a number of other lower emission vehicles in the next reporting period.
Total water consumption across our facilities during this reporting period was 13,014 kilolitres.
The table below shows our energy use and associated CO2 emissions. The table also includes an estimate of emissions as a result of waste based on the average Full Time Equivalent during this reporting period.
| Energy Type | Usage | Estimated CO2 Emissions (tones) |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity | 5,335,997 kWH | 5,959 |
| GAS | 16,970,091 MJ | 1,209 |
| Waste | 924 Ave FTE | 1,398 |
| Total | 8,566 |
The total estimated CO2 emissions for our organisation during the reporting period is 9 994 tones (1,428 from vehicles and 8,566 from energy use and waste). The increase in overall emissions during this reporting period is a direct result of the increased average Full Time Equivalent level throughout the year. We are looking to implement a number of strategies to reduce emissions. We are also exploring options such sensor lighting, air conditioning timing devices and purchasing green energy or carbon offsets.
The ACT Women’s Plan sets out the ACT Government’s vision for working with the community and improving the status of all women and girls. The plan also provides a shared approach for working towards this vision across all ACT Government agencies. We support this vision and actively promote the wellbeing of women in the community and the workplace.
The Women’s Plan identified six key objectives for agencies to work towards:
During this reporting period we have had the highest number of women in senior positions in our history including the Deputy Chief Police Officer until March 2009 and three other Commissioned officers; Superintendents Crime Prevention, South District and Intelligence. There is also a female in the senior position of Media and Marketing. Table C.2 in section C.7—Staffing Profile, shows male and female staff numbers for our organisation.
Superintendent Kate Buggy, Crime Prevention was seconded to the United Kingdom National Policing Improvement Agency, International Academy, Bramshill from January to April 2009 as a visiting fellow and tutor on the Female International Commanders Programme 124/2009. The Programme was attended by representatives from police forces in The Bahama’s, Pakistan, Bahrain and Ghana. Superintendent Buggy is also a statutory representative on the ACT Domestic Violence Prevention Council.
We also released seven female members to the International Association of Women Police, 46th Annual Training Conference conducted in Darwin from 6–11 September 2008. Issues addressed at the conference included: The changing face of crime; Policing – A career of choice; Leading by Example; and Strengthening Partnerships.
We have promoted safe and responsible behaviour through various campaigns and support for initiatives that address personal safety, drink driving and binge drinking. Our members regularly attend schools and also discuss cyber safety in relation to bullying, social networking sites, text messaging and the use of mobile telephones to transmit images. These messages are directed at female as well as male students.
The Police and Citizens Youth Club and Crime Prevention have conducted two female specific sport programs this financial year. A program open to all women with an emphasis on Muslim participants was conducted at the North side Police Citizens Youth Club to build and strengthen relationships between women in the community and our female members.
The Police Citizens Youth Club also commenced “Switchback Chicks” which is a mountain biking program for young women designed to provide youth with “positive risk” activities (such as mountain biking) as opposed to “negative risk” activities such as crime. The program runs for 12 months ending in December 2009 and has seven young women on the program from years 8–9 in local Canberra high schools.
Our particular focus remains centred on freedom from crime and fear of crime. The Suburban Policing Strategy continues to be a key initiative for increasing community engagement and promoting visible policing in an effort to reduce the fear of crime.
The ACT interagency Family Violence Intervention Program is the overarching vehicle for responding to family violence, decreasing re-victimisation in a cross agency context. We continue to support and promote White Ribbon Day; the Deputy Chief Police Officer – Response is a White Ribbon Ambassador.
We promote work life balance, flexible working arrangements for members including women returning to the workforce. Part time employment for women and working from home arrangements are considered by our organisation as part of this policy.
We maintain an Online Learning system which has been relaunched in a more flexible and dynamic format in this reporting period. This learning medium provides a range of development opportunities which can be accessed by our members at times convenient to them. We also provide a professional development scheme to assist employee’s who wish to study on a part-time basis. The scheme provides for paid study leave and financial assistance to approved participants.
Subsection 37(a) of the Australian Capital Territory Self-Government Act 1988 provides that the ACT Executive has the responsibility of governing the Territory with respect to matters of law and order. Under subsection 23(1)(c) the ACT Legislative Assembly, however, has no power to make laws with respect to the provision by the AFP of police services in the ACT. As such there is no police act or similar legislation in the ACT with the Australian Federal Police (AFP) being responsible for providing policing services to the ACT under Section 8 of the Australian Federal Police act 1979.
In effect, these two pieces of legislation mean that the ACT is policed by the AFP and under the provisions of the Australian Federal Police act 1979 at Subsection 8(1A), the Minister for Justice and Customs and the Australian Capital Territory may enter arrangements for the police services in relation to the Australian Capital Territory that are in respect of Territory functions as defined by section 3 of the Australian Capital Territory Self Government (Consequential Provisions) Act 1988 (hereinafter called ‘police services’).
Paragraph 9(1)(b) of the Australian Federal Police act 1979 provides that in addition to any other powers and duties, a member of the Australian Federal Police has, when performing functions in the Australian Capital Territory, the powers and duties conferred or imposed on a constable or on an officer of police by or under any law (including the common law) of the Territory.
The Commonwealth Minister for Justice and Customs and the Australian Capital Territory have agreed to enter arrangements for the provision of police services in respect of Territory functions in accordance with the terms and conditions set out in the Arrangement.
IT IS AGREED by the parties to this Arrangement as follows:
1.1 In this Arrangement unless the contrary intention appears:
“ACT” means the Australian Capital Territory;
“ACT Policing” means the Australian Federal Police business unit responsible for the provision of policing services to the ACT.
“AFP” means the Australian Federal Police;
“AFP Act” means the Australian Federal Police act 1979;
“Chief Police Officer” means the AFP employee appointed by the Commissioner, as provided for in this Arrangement, to be the Chief Police Officer for the ACT;
“Commissioner” means the Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police referred to in section 6 of the AFP Act;
“Commonwealth Minister” means the Commonwealth Minister of State appointed to administer the AFP Act;
“Commonwealth Place of Interest” means a facility or location that is directly involved in the conduct of Commonwealth Government business or is otherwise in the interests of the Commonwealth to protect.
‘Police Minister” means the Minister of the ACT Executive who is responsible for police matters;
“Police Services” means community policing services provided for under this Arrangement which include, but are not necessarily limited to, the preservation of peace and good order, the prevention and detection of crime and the protection of persons form injury or death, and the protection of property from damage, whether arising from criminal acts or otherwise;
“Purchase Agreement” means the annual agreement provided for under this Arrangement between the Police Minister, the Commissioner, and the Chief Police Officer setting out details of goods and services purchased by the ACT from the AFP, the agreed price for those services payable by the ACT to the AFP and the reporting by the AFP on performance.
2.1 The purpose of this Arrangement is to establish the enabling framework for the provision by the AFP of policing services to the ACT.
2.2 The Commonwealth is committed to the provision, within the context of this Arrangement and the Purchase Agreement, of a high quality community policing service to the ACT.
3.1 Both parties seek from this Arrangement:
Appropriate policing – the arrangement provides an agreed level of policing services for the ACT community;
4.1 The Commonwealth and the ACT Government agree that the AFP will provide Police services to the ACT Government in accordance with the Purchase Agreement, as varied from time to time by arrangement between the Police Minister and the Chief Police Officer.
4.2 The ACT shall pay the AFP for the provision of police services pursuant to this Arrangement the amounts specified in the Purchase Agreement.
4.3 The parties acknowledge that the AFP is also required, within the ACT, to provide police services to the Commonwealth which are not subject to this Arrangement and for which the ACT is not required to pay. This exclusion extends to cover the costs of enforcing Commonwealth Law and protecting Commonwealth interests by AFP personnel employed within the ACT Policing business unit. Costs excluded from the arrangement will include those associated with the protection of foreign dignitaries, foreign missions, and Commonwealth places of interest. The basis for allocating costs against the Commonwealth and ACT Governments will be articulated in the Purchase Agreement.
4.4 The allocation of resources for the police services required by the Commonwealth within the ACT will not be altered in any way which might materially affect the police services purchased by the ACT Government, without prior consultation and agreement. Failure to obtain agreement will be sufficient grounds for the issue of a notice to discontinue this Arrangement in accordance with clause
4.5 Revenues received by the AFP in the course of enforcement of ACT legislation under this Arrangement will be remitted to the ACT.
4.6 The ACT Government will be responsible for the provision of appropriate Community Policing infrastructure and facilities to the AFP. The ACT Government and the AFP will jointly develop a plan to apportion individual responsibilities for the maintenance of structures and facilities and the provision of fittings during the term of this Arrangement.
5.1 There shall be a Chief Police Officer for the ACT who shall, subject to the Authority of the Commissioner, be responsible to the Police Minister for the achievement of the outcomes set out in the Purchase Agreement and the general management and control of AFP personnel and resources deployed for the purposes of that agreement.
5.2 The Chief Police Officer shall be appointed by the Commissioner with the approval of the Police Minister.
5.3 If the Police Minister advises the Commissioner in writing that the Chief Police Officer no longer enjoys the confidence of the ACT Executive, and of the reasons for that lack of confidence, the Commissioner shall as soon as practicable replace the Chief Police Officer.
5.4 The Chief Police Officer will have membership of the ACT Government Chief Executive Officer forum and will receive timely advice on ACT budget instructions and processes.
6.1 The Police Minister may give to the Chief Police Officer general directions in writing as to policy, priorities and goals in relation to the provision of police services by the AFP under this Arrangement and the Purchase Agreement.
6.2 The Chief Police Officer shall comply with any written directions received from the Police Minister under clause 6.1 unless a contrary written direction has been received from the Commonwealth Minister pursuant to the AFP Act.
6.3 Any written directions from the Police Minister will be appended to the Purchasing Agreement in a form that enables them to be published in the ACT Policing Annual Report.
6.4 Except in case of emergency, the Commonwealth Minister shall not issue to the Commissioner a Direction pursuant to the AFP Act which affects the provision by the AFP of police services to the ACT unless the Commonwealth Minister has first consulted the Police Minister about the nature and purpose of that direction. Where in an emergency a Direction is given without prior consultation with the Police Minister, the Commonwealth Minister will consult the Police Minister about the Direction as soon as possible thereafter.
6.5 If a Direction by the Commonwealth Minister to the Commissioner has the effect of increasing the cost of police services provided to the ACT, then the costs attributable to the Direction will be borne by the Commonwealth by adjusting the price paid by the ACT in accordance with the price variation provisions of the Purchase Agreement.
7.1 Without inhibiting the independent reporting and advisory capacity of the Chief Police Officer as prescribed in clauses 5.1 and 8.1, the Police Minister may request the AFP to provide information to a nominated agency within the ACT. The nominated agency shall provide support to the Police Minister in the performance of his or her ministerial functions on policing.
8.1 The Chief Police Officer shall provide to the nominated agency such information, reports and recommendations in relation to the provision of services to the ACT under this Arrangement as the Police Minister may from time to time require. The Chief Police Officer shall exercise discretion over the release of information to the nominated agency to ensure that relevant information may be lawfully reported with due regard to privacy and operational policing considerations.
8.2 Consistent with the AFP values of integrity and accountability and without limiting the generality of clause 8.1, the nominated agency may, subject to any applicable secrecy laws, request and receive information from the Chief Police Officer, on behalf of the Police Minister, regarding:
(a) complaints against AFP employees providing services under this Arrangement, including the investigation of such complaints and any related action whether undertaken by the AFP, the Commonwealth Ombudsman or otherwise;
(b) AFP Professional Standards (PRS) enquiries relating to AFP employees providing services under this Agreement; and
(c) the deployment, operational status and movement of AFP employees engaged in providing police services under this Arrangement.
8.3 The Chief Police Officer shall report annually to the Police Minister at a time nominated by the Police Minister on the provision of police services pursuant to this Arrangement for the proceeding year. The annual report will describe the outcomes achieved during the period reported on and shall include details of the resources utilised, the levels of crime reported and such other matters as may be specified by the Police Minister.
9.1 The Chief Police Officer will provide after the end of each financial year and by date nominated by the Police Minister, a financial statement for that financial year accompanied by a report of the Commonwealth Auditor-General or some other auditor nominated by the Chief Police Officer and approved by the Police Minister stating:
(a) the correctness of the report made of performance under the purchase Agreement; and
(b) any other matters which the Auditor-General, or otherwise approved auditor, considers should be reported to the Police Minister.
9.2 The Police Minister is also entitled to have specific financial and performance audits conducted by the Commonwealth Auditor-General, or other agreed auditor, the cost of which shall be borne by the ACT.
10.1 If legal advice and appearance about matters covered by the laws of the ACT (including the common law) is required by the AFP in relation to the provision of police services pursuant to this Arrangement, the Chief Police Officer shall seek such advice or appearance from the ACT Director of Public Prosecutions, the ACT Government Solicitor’s Office or other legal sources, whichever is appropriate in the circumstances.
11.1 The Commonwealth is responsible for determining the terms and conditions of employment of AFP employees involved in the provision of police services to the ACT pursuant to this Arrangement.
11.2 If the Commissioner proposes to vary the terms and conditions of employment of AFP personnel in a way which might affect the manner and cost of providing police services to the ACT, the Commissioner shall, before altering those terms and conditions, consult with and advise the Police Minister of the likely implications of the proposed alterations.
12.1 The mechanism for resolving disputes arising from this Arrangement will be as follows:
(a) in the first instance the Territory and AFP contact officers listed at clause12.2 will use their best endeavours to settle the dispute; and
(b) if after 30 days the dispute is unresolved or the Contact Officers lack the authority to do so, the matter will be referred to the officers listed in clause12.3 as the Responsible Officers.
12.2 For the purposes of this Arrangement the Contact Officers will be:
For the AFP, Director, Corporate Services on advice from the AFP, Chief Operating Officer; and
For the Territory, Director, Justice, Planning and Programs, Policy and Regulatory Division, Department of Justice and Community Safety.
12.3 For the purposes of the Arrangement the Responsible Officers will be:
For the AFP, Chief Police Officer in consultation with the AFP, Chief Operating Officer; and
For the Territory, Chief Executive Officer, Department of Justice and Community Safety.
12.4 Any dispute or matter of concern to either party arising from this Arrangement that cannot be resolved by the officers nominated at clause 12.2 or 13.3 shall be referred for consultation between resolution by the Commonwealth Minister and the Police Minister.
12.5 Contact Officers for the purpose of the annual Purchase Agreement are to be nominated in each Purchase Agreement.
13.1 This Arrangement shall commence on a date agreed to by the parties and shall remain in force for five years.
13.2 Two years prior to its expiry, the parties shall commence negotiations about the terms and conditions of a renewal of the Arrangement.
13.3 If either party decides this Arrangement shall not be continued or renewed, it shall give at least 2 years notice in writing to that effect.
13.4 In the event that a replacement Arrangement is not signed at expiry of the preceding Arrangement, the parties may agree to extend the terms and conditions of the current Arrangement.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF this Arrangement has been respectively signed for and on behalf of the parties:
SIGNED by Senator the Hon Chris Ellison, Minister for Justice and Customs on behalf of the Australian Government
SIGNED by Simon Corbell MLA,
Minister for Police and Emergency Services
on behalf of the ACT Government
Simon Corbell MLA
Minister for Police and Emergency Services
28 August 2008
Mick Keelty APM
Commissioner, Australian Federal Police
28 August 2008
Michael Phelan APM
Chief Police Officer for the ACT
28 August 2008
In partnership with the community, create a safer and more secure Australian Capital Territory through the provision of quality police services.
This will be achieved through four main areas of activity: Crime and Safety Management; Traffic Law Enforcement and Road Safety; Prosecution and Judicial Support; and Crime Prevention.
| Crime and Safety Management | |
|---|---|
ACT Policing will provide a safer and more secure Australian Capital Territory so that members of the community can go about their daily lives without undue fear of crime. This will be achieved by:
|
|
| Output Price: | $104,433,000 |
| Traffic Law Enforcement and Road Safety | |
| ACT Policing will enforce traffic laws and promote safer behaviour on ACT roads with the objectives of reducing the number of crash fatalities and injuries to members of the community. | |
| Output Price: | $8,838,000 |
| Prosecution & Judicial Support | |
| ACT Policing will maximise the number of successful prosecutions in Court by providing support to the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Courts. | |
| Output Price: | $7,342,000 |
| Crime Prevention | |
| ACT Policing will seek to reduce and prevent crime through strategies that incorporate government and community cooperation to address risk factors associated with criminal behaviour and recidivism and raise awareness of the community’s role in their own safety and security. | |
| Output Price: | $3,254,000 |
| Total Price2 = | $123,867,000 |
The above four main outputs will be achieved through the provision of police resources – including personnel, as defined and explained in Schedule 2 of this Agreement.
The attribution of prices to outputs is indicative of resource prioritisation by outputs and may vary throughout the year according to the operational assessment of the Chief Police Officer. Changes to the total price must be agreed by both parties.
| Measures | Target | |
|---|---|---|
| Level of Crime | ||
| 1. | Number of offences against the person reported or becoming known per 100,000 population.a | 810 or lessb |
| 2. | Number of offences against property reported or becoming known per 100,000 population.a | 8600 or lessb |
| 3. | Percentage of offences against the person cleared. | 55% or more |
| 4. | Percentage of offences against property cleared. | 10% or more |
| Perceptions of Crime | ||
| 5. | Percentage of persons who are concerned about becoming a victim of physical assault in a public place – excluding sexual assault in the next 12 months.c,d | National Average or less |
| 6. | Percentage of persons who are concerned about becoming a victim of sexual assault in the next 12 months.c,d | National Average or less |
| 7. | Percentage of persons who are concerned about becoming a victim of housebreaking in the next 12 months.c,d | National Average or less |
| 8. | Percentage of persons who are concerned about becoming a victim of motor vehicle theft in the next 12 months.c,d | National Average or less |
| 9. | Percentage of persons who feel safe at home alone during the day.c,d | National Average or more |
| 10. | Percentage of persons who feel safe at home alone during the night.c,d | National Average or more |
| Police Responsiveness | ||
| 11. | Response times for Priority One Incidents: | |
|
60% or more | |
|
90% or more | |
| 12. | Response times for Priority Two Incidents: | |
|
60% or more | |
|
95% or more | |
| 13. | Response times for Priority Three Incidents: | |
|
60% or more | |
|
95% or more | |
| 14. | Response times for Priority Four Incidents: | |
|
95% or more | |
| 15. | Percentage of 000 calls answered on first or second presentation: | |
|
90% or more | |
|
98% or more | |
| Public Confidence in Police | ||
| 16. | Percentage of persons satisfied with most recent contact with police services.c,d | National Average or more |
| 17. | Percentage of persons who agree that police perform their job professionally.c,d | National Average or more |
| 18. | Percentage of persons who agree that police treat people fairly and equally.c,d | National Average or more |
| 19. | Number of established complaint issues against police.e | 60 or below |
| 20. | Number of established complaint issues relating to persons in custody.e | 25 or below |
| Road Safety | ||
| 21. | Number of road crashes resulting in death per 100,000 population.a | 5.1 or lessb |
| 22. | Number of road crashes resulting in injury per 100,000 population.a | 210 or lessb |
| 23. | Percentage of persons who self-report to driving 10km per hour or more over the speed limit.c,d | National Average or less |
| 24. | Percentage of persons who self-report to driving while not wearing a seatbelt.c,d | National Average or less |
| 25. | Percentage of persons who self-report to driving while suspecting they are over the prescribed alcohol limit.c,d,f | National Average or less |
| 26. | Percentage of persons who self-report to driving when using a mobile phone.c,d | National Average or less |
| Supporting the Judicial Process | ||
| 27. | Percentage of briefs delivered to the DPP within the designated timeframe. g | 75% or more |
| 28. | Percentage of cases finalised by offence proved in court.h,i | 80% or more b |
| 29. | Percentage of cases finalised by a not-guilty verdict or otherwise withdrawn.h,j | 18% or less |
| 30. | Percentage of cases otherwise resolved. h,k,l | 5% or less |
| Crime Prevention | ||
| 31. | Percentage of persons who perceive the following quality of their neighbourhood c,d: | |
|
National Average or less | |
|
National Average or less | |
|
National Average or less | |
|
National Average or less | |
| 32. | Number of juveniles: | |
|
Benchmark year m | |
|
80 or more b | |
| 33. | Number of persons referred to community support agencies. | 3700 or more b |
| 34. | Number of referrals to drug diversion programs (drug demand reduction effort). | 50 or more b |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Offence | A breach of the criminal law. |
| Offences against the person | Offences against the person include homicide and related offences, assaults, sexually based offences, kidnap and other person offences. |
| Offences against property | Offences against property include robbery, blackmail, extortion, burglary, fraud, motor vehicle thefts, other theft offences, property damage and environmental offences. |
| Offence cleared | Offences cleared by arrest, summons, Voluntary Agreement to Attend Court, charge before court, diversionary conference, caution, Simple Cannabis Offence Notice, or otherwise resolved. |
| Comparability of Survey of Community Satisfaction with Policing results | Data reported in the 2000–2001 financial year was compiled by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and published in the Population Survey Monitor. These data were collected through face-to-face interviews with respondents through a sample of approximately 220 people in each quarter of the financial year. This was discontinued and replaced by the Survey of Community Satisfaction with Policing (NSCSP), which is conducted on an ongoing basis throughout the year using telephone interviews. The NSCSP, has been conducted by Roy Morgan Research since 1 July 2006, and prior to this, by AC Nielsen. While the content of the survey remains relatively similar over time, there is some potential for variations in results based solely on the difference in the survey methodologies and survey providers. |
| Prioritised response model | The model used by the Computer Aided Dispatch system to prioritise incidents for dispatch of patrols. |
| Priority One Incident | Life threatening or time critical situations. |
| Priority Two Incident | Situations where the information provided indicates that time is important, but not critical. |
| Priority Three Incident | Situations where there is no immediate danger to safety or property, but where police attendance is needed without undue delay. |
| Priority Four Incident | Situations requiring police attendance where time is not critical and includes circumstances where a time is agreed with a complainant. |
| Percentage of 000 calls answered on first and second presentation. | It is the policy of TELSTRA to re-present 000 calls to another line after 9 rings in order to maximise the response rate. This is a national standard endorsed by Emergency Service Organisations across Australia. The measurement of response to 000 calls is based on average operating capacity and the target for this measure does not include abnormal instances created by one major event where operating capacity is overloaded due to multiple reporting of the same incident. |
| Complaint issues | Issues associated with a complaint made in accordance with the Australian Federal Police Act, Part V, 1979. |
| Custody | The restriction or removal of a person’s right to freedom of movement. May also be constructive as a result of a person believing that they may not exercise their free will as a result of dealings with a police officer and is deemed to exist in circumstances where a person: i) is in the company, care, custody or control of a member or special member, and is restricted from leaving that company for the time being; ii) is placed in a holding room; iii) is lodged in police cells or an area or facility controlled by police; or iv) is placed under arrest. |
| Injury | An injury sustained by any person as a result of a collision, which necessitates treatment by a medical practitioner. |
| DPP | Director of Public Prosecutions. |
| Hearing brief of evidence | A collation of all relevant evidentiary material relating to a prosecution to be forwarded to the DPP. It is accepted that for the Judicial Process Measures (Numbers 27, 28, 29, 30) the efficiency of other agencies such as the DPP as well as the capacity of victims and witnesses to present their evidence may also affect judicial process outcomes. |
The ACT Government has agreed to fund the Full Time Equivalent (FTE) of 878 AFP employees engaged in the provision of community policing services to the ACT for financial year 2008–2009.3 This number is a budgeted figure only, acknowledging that actual staffing levels will vary at any given time.4 This budgeted figure is used in this Agreement for information only and not as a performance measure.
In accordance with subclause 8.2 (c) of the Arrangement, the Chief Police Officer will report quarterly to the Police Minister on the deployment, operational status and movement of AFP employees. Reporting will include:
The Chief Police Officer will give timely advice to the Minister on any senior AFP personnel movements or changes (from Superintendent rank (or equivalent) upwards).
The Chief Police Officer will provide the following report on a quarterly basis in accordance with clause 17 of this Agreement:
The report will be accompanied by commentary where consolidated node variations exceed 5% of pro-rata phased budgets.
The AFP provides Community Policing services to the ACT Government on a cost recovery basis. Costs are calculated against defined outputs to be met by the AFP’s ACT Policing business unit and some specialised elements from the wider AFP (Enabling). ACT Policing business unit costs are apportioned between the ACT and Commonwealth Governments on the basis of direct and indirect cost attribution. Costs associated with AFP operational and corporate support (Enabling) are determined using Commonwealth Government Cost Recovery Guidelines where appropriate.
AFP Cost Attribution Diagram
The annual ACT Policing Activity Survey, which is used as an input into the Activity Matrix will be conducted at a time agreed to by the Police Minister and the Chief Police Officer. Any additional surveys or alternative methods of activity recording will be conducted where agreed to by both parties. Any changes to the Activity Matrix will be applied to the Financial Management Information System (FMIS) as soon as practical. No retrospective changes to the Activity Matrix will be made without the agreement of both parties.
The following components are part of the ACT considerations for ACT Policing costs to the Territory in 2008–2009:
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Activity Survey | An annual statistical analysis of ACT Policing activities undertaken over a seven day period to capture and define the more routine tasks performed by ACT Policing which are not readily identified by direct cost-attribution. These tasks are subsequently attributed to either Commonwealth or ACT Outputs delivered by ACT Policing. |
| Activity Matrix | A table of values derived from a budget weighted average of activity survey data used to allocate indirect costs against ACT Policing Outputs at a cost centre level. |
| Enabling | Services purchased from the wider AFP such as Information Technology or Forensic Services not within the managerial responsibility of the Chief Police Officer. |
| FMIS | Financial Management Information System or otherwise known as Accounting System. |
1 Includes one-off additional Repairs and Maintenance funding.
This Direction is issued under Section 6 of the Policing Arrangement between the Commonwealth and ACT Governments and outlines the Government’s priorities and expectations for the AFP and the Chief Police Officer. This Direction is to be read in conjunction with the 2008–2009 Purchase Agreement between the ACT Minister for Police and Emergency Services, the AFP Commissioner and the Chief Police Officer for the ACT.
In accordance with the Australian Federal Police Act 1979 (the Act), the Australian Federal Police (AFP) provides community policing services to the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). In accordance with the Act the Commonwealth and ACT Governments entered into an arrangement for the provision of policing services in June 2006. This arrangement details the goods and services to be purchased by the ACT from the AFP and the agreed price for those services. This arrangement is supported by annual Purchase Agreements which outline the range of deliverables and Key Performance Indicators (KPI). Consistent with this agreement I expect ACT Policing to pay due attention to all elements of the Purchase Agreement.
The Government expects the AFP to give special emphasis to the following broad operational issues during financial year 2008–2009:
The Government expects the AFP to report quarterly to the Minister for Police and Emergency Services on progress against special areas of focus.
Simon Corbell, MLA
Minister for Police and Emergency Services
28 August 2008
A.5 Management Discussion and Analysis
A.9 Analysis of Agency Performance
Section B—Consultation and Scrutiny Reporting
B.2 Internal and External Scrutiny
B.3 Legislative Assembly Committee Inquiries and Reports
Section C—Legislative and Policy Based Reporting
C.1 Risk Management and Internal Audit
C.3 Public Interest Disclosure
C.9 Workplace Health and Safety
C.11 Strategic Bushfire Management Plan
C.12 Strategic Asset Management
C.15 Community Grants/Assistance/ Sponsorship
C.16 Territory Records Act 2002 reporting
C.18 Commissioner for the Environment
C.19 ACT Multicultural Strategy
C.20 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Reporting
C.21 Ecologically Sustainable Development
The following reporting requirements were determined as not applicable
| Section | Reason for Omission |
|---|---|
| A.8—Strategic Indicators | ACT Policing is neither a prescribed Territory authority nor a department as defined by the Financial Management Act 1996, therefore is unable to address this section. |
| C.11—Strategic Bushfire Management Plan | ACT Policing does not manage or own unleased Territory Land and therefore is not required to have a strategic bushfire management plan. |
| C.16—Territory Records | ACT Policing does not have a Records Management Plan in the form required under the Territory’s legislation as it is a part of a Commonwealth Government Agency. |
| Offence | Offences Reported |
Cleared | Clear-up rate |
Number of offenders | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | Female | Total | ||||
| Offences against the person | ||||||
| Homicide and related offences | ||||||
| Murder | 6 | 5 | 83.30% | 6 | 1 | 7 |
| Attempted murder | 1 | 1 | 100.00% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Conspiracy to murder | 0 | 0 | – | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Manslaughter | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Driving causing death | 3 | 1 | 33.30% | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Homicide unspecified | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total homicide and related offences | 10 | 7 | 70.00% | 12 | 2 | 14 |
| Assaults (excluding sexual) | ||||||
| Assault causing GBH | 41 | 26 | 63.40% | 24 | 3 | 27 |
| Assault causing ABH | 484 | 323 | 66.70% | 277 | 61 | 338 |
| Assault other | 1977 | 1387 | 70.20% | 775 | 178 | 953 |
| Total assaults (excluding sexual) | 2502 | 1736 | 69.40% | 1076 | 242 | 1318 |
| Sexual offences | ||||||
| Sexual assault 1st 2nd 3rd degree | 15 | 14 | 93.30% | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| Sexual intercourse, no consent | 101 | 97 | 96.00% | 63 | 0 | 63 |
| Sexual intercourse, person < 16 yrs | 59 | 66 | 111.90% | 41 | 0 | 41 |
| Indecent act, assault | 21 | 24 | 114.30% | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Indecent act, no consent | 44 | 36 | 81.80% | 38 | 0 | 38 |
| Indecent act, person < 16 yrs | 42 | 59 | 140.50% | 66 | 0 | 66 |
| Incest | 10 | 2 | 20.00% | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Indecent exposure | 33 | 8 | 24.20% | 5 | 1 | 6 |
| Abduction (sexual intent) | 3 | 0 | 0.00% | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Total sexual offences | 328 | 306 | 93.30% | 237 | 1 | 238 |
| Other offences | ||||||
| Kidnap | 19 | 13 | 68.40% | 38 | 2 | 40 |
| Other | 99 | 77 | 77.80% | 77 | 8 | 85 |
| Total other offences | 118 | 90 | 76.30% | 115 | 10 | 125 |
| Total offences against the person | 2958 | 2139 | 72.30% | 1440 | 255 | 1695 |
| Offences against property | ||||||
| Robbery | ||||||
| Armed robbery | 109 | 38 | 34.90% | 29 | 16 | 45 |
| Other robbery | 163 | 43 | 26.40% | 82 | 6 | 88 |
| Total robbery | 272 | 81 | 29.80% | 111 | 22 | 133 |
| Blackmail and extortion | ||||||
| Total blackmail and extortion | 2 | 2 | 100.00% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Burglary | ||||||
| Burglary dwellings | 3111 | 336 | 10.80% | 344 | 38 | 382 |
| Burglary shops | 397 | 43 | 10.80% | 52 | 7 | 59 |
| Burglary other | 714 | 82 | 11.50% | 110 | 10 | 120 |
| Total burglary | 4222 | 461 | 10.90% | 506 | 55 | 561 |
| Fraud and misappropriation | ||||||
| Fraud | 707 | 312 | 44.10% | 213 | 135 | 348 |
| Misappropriation | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Counterfeiting | 65 | 4 | 6.20% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total fraud and misappropriation | 773 | 316 | 40.90% | 213 | 135 | 348 |
| Handling stolen goods | ||||||
| Receiving | 27 | 25 | 92.60% | 44 | 12 | 56 |
| Unlawful possession | 117 | 139 | 118.80% | 157 | 66 | 223 |
| Other | 9 | 10 | 111.10% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Total handling of stolen goods | 153 | 174 | 113.70% | 202 | 78 | 280 |
| Theft or illegal use of vehicle | ||||||
| Motor vehicle theft | 2062 | 174 | 8.40% | 215 | 24 | 239 |
| Bicycle theft | 468 | 9 | 1.90% | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Boat theft | 3 | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Aircraft theft | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other vehicle theft | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unspecified vehicle theft | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total theft or illegal use of vehicle | 2533 | 183 | 7.20% | 217 | 26 | 243 |
| Other theft | ||||||
| Stock theft | 2 | 1 | 50.00% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Shop stealing | 1415 | 871 | 61.60% | 369 | 358 | 727 |
| Theft at burglary -dwellings | 2276 | 260 | 11.40% | 314 | 26 | 340 |
| Theft at burglary -shops | 230 | 27 | 11.70% | 22 | 3 | 25 |
| Theft at burglary -other | 438 | 35 | 8.00% | 47 | 6 | 53 |
| Offences against property | ||||||
| Other theft | 7767 | 799 | 10.30% | 290 | 131 | 421 |
| Total other theft | 12128 | 1993 | 16.40% | 1042 | 524 | 1566 |
| Property damage | ||||||
| Arson | 341 | 23 | 6.70% | 19 | 4 | 23 |
| Damage at burglary - dwellings | 123 | 21 | 17.10% | 39 | 4 | 43 |
| Damage at burglary -shops | 44 | 4 | 9.10% | 14 | 1 | 15 |
| Damage at burglary -other | 101 | 13 | 12.90% | 17 | 0 | 17 |
| Other property damage | 8302 | 768 | 9.30% | 464 | 71 | 535 |
| Total property damage | 8911 | 829 | 9.30% | 553 | 80 | 633 |
| Environmental offences | ||||||
| Pollution | 10 | 7 | 70.00% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Flora and fauna | 2 | 1 | 50.00% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Other environmental offences | 13 | 9 | 69.20% | 4 | 2 | 6 |
| Total environmental offences | 25 | 17 | 68.00% | 6 | 2 | 8 |
| Total offences against property | 29019 | 4056 | 14.00% | 2850 | 922 | 3772 |
| Offences against good order | ||||||
| Government security/ operations | 114 | 114 | 100.00% | 139 | 18 | 157 |
| Justice procedures | 1841 | 1717 | 93.30% | 2095 | 475 | 2570 |
| Firearms and weapons | 280 | 272 | 97.10% | 323 | 27 | 350 |
| Other | 983 | 747 | 76.00% | 644 | 147 | 791 |
| Total offences against good order | 3218 | 2850 | 88.60% | 3201 | 667 | 3868 |
| Drug offences | ||||||
| Possess and use drugs | 356 | 326 | 91.60% | 321 | 85 | 406 |
| Deal and supply drugs | 40 | 40 | 100.00% | 48 | 12 | 60 |
| Manufacture and grow drugs | 14 | 15 | 107.10% | 26 | 7 | 33 |
| Other drug offences | 27 | 16 | 59.30% | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Total drug offences | 437 | 397 | 90.80% | 397 | 104 | 501 |
| Traffic offences | ||||||
| Drink driving offences | 1743 | 1689 | 96.90% | 1544 | 315 | 1859 |
| Dangerous and reckless driving | 94 | 82 | 87.20% | 155 | 9 | 164 |
| Driving licence offences | 882 | 871 | 98.80% | 860 | 146 | 1006 |
| Traffic offences | ||||||
| Other motor vehicle, traffic and related offences | 2746 | 2511 | 91.40% | 1022 | 242 | 1264 |
| Total traffic offences | 5465 | 5153 | 94.30% | 3581 | 712 | 4293 |
| Other offences not elsewhere classified | 342 | 148 | 43.30% | 42 | 19 | 61 |
| All offences | 41439 | 14743 | 35.60% | 11511 | 2679 | 14190 |
Note:
Offence classifications are based on Australian Bureau of Statistics ANCO (1985),
Catalogue No 1234.0.
Offences cleared do not necessarily relate to those offences reported in the
period.
Offences reported in Jervis Bay are excluded.
Source:
Offences reported: PROMIS as at 2 July 2009.
Offences cleared: PROMIS as at 2 July 2009.
Number of offenders: PROMIS (apprehensions module – number of unique offender
records per offence type within an apprehension) as at 2 July 2009.
| ACT | Australian Capital Territory |
| AFP | Australian Federal Police |
| APM | Australian Police Medal |
| BLO | Business Liaison Officer |
| DJACS | Department of Justice and Community Safety |
| DOM | Duty Operations Manager |
| DPP | Director of Public Prosecutions |
| FTE | Full-Time Employee |
| ICLO | Indigenous Community Liaison Officer |
| ICMEX | Investigation and Consequence and Management Exercise |
| KPI | Key Performance Indicator |
| MLO | Multicultural Liaison Officer |
| MOU | Memorandum of Understanding |
| NCIDD | National Criminal Investigative DNA Database |
| NRMA | National Roads and Motoring Authority |
| NSW | New South Wales |
| OH&S | Occupational Health and Safety |
| OIC | Officer in Charge |
| PROMIS | Police Real-time Online Management Information System |
| RAID | Remove All Impaired Drivers |
| RAPID | Recognition and Analysis of Plates Identified |
| SARP | Sexual Assault Response Program |
| SPS | Suburban Policing Strategy |
| SRS | Specialist Response and Security Team |
| TAMS | Territory and Municipal Services |
| TIG | Territory Investigations Group |
1. Australian Government Cost Recovery Guidelines, Department of Finance and Administration Circular 2005/09.
2. Includes one-off additional Repairs and Maintenance funding.
3. FTE number (operational and non-operational personnel) includes enabling FTEs (such as forensics, IT personnel) and is the level to which a unit may be staffed. Actual FTE numbers do not represent individuals but represent the aggregate sum of the percentage of time spent on ACT Government Service Delivery by individuals employed within the ACT Policing business unit and AFP Enabling areas.
4. The budgeted FTE number is an annualised figure with actual FTE varying at any time in line with operational requirements. For example, the AFP may deploy additional resources to support ACT Policing in high workload periods such as Christmas/New Year period. Any increase in staffing may then be offset by reductions during low workload periods (winter) in order to remain within annual budgeted levels.
5. The equalisation contribution replaces the Special Fiscal Needs (SFN) allowance provided by the Commonwealth in recognition of the ACT not having control over the terms and conditions of employment of AFP employees.
