AFP Officer Candidate cheat sheet

Australia is a federation: the Commonwealth has no general police power; each state and territory legislates its own police force, while the Commonwealth Parliament legislates for federal offences under the Constitution (s 51(xxxix) and related heads of power).

The AFP is the Commonwealth's policing agency, established under the Australian Federal Police Act 1979 (Cth); its functions include investigating Commonwealth offences, protective security for high office holders, and international deployment.

The Australia New Zealand Policing Advisory Agency (ANZPAA) is a non-operational body providing strategy, research and professional standards advice to police jurisdictions across Australia and New Zealand; it does not direct operational policing.

The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) is the national criminal intelligence body, established by the Australian Crime Commission Act 2002 (Cth); it hosts the National Police Checking Service and the National Criminal Intelligence Fusion Capability.

The Ministerial Council for Police and Emergency Management (MCPEM) is the national forum where police ministers from the Commonwealth, states and territories agree national policing priorities and policy.

The National Police Memorial in Canberra honours officers killed in the line of duty; the National Police Remembrance Day is observed on 29 September each year.

Interstate operational cooperation rests on cross-jurisdictional recognition of warrants and on arrangements such as the National Criminal Investigation DNA Database and the National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS).

Commonwealth offences are prosecuted by the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions (CDPP); state and territory DPPs prosecute their own indictable matters.

The National Police Service Medal recognises 15 years of ethical and diligent service; the Australian Police Medal is awarded for distinguished service and is announced in the Australia Day and Queen's Birthday honours.

ACT Policing is a business unit of the Australian Federal Police that provides policing services to the ACT under a purchase agreement with the ACT Government; AFP officers exercising ACT powers are appointed as ACT police officers.

The ACT is a self-governing territory under the Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988 (Cth); the ACT Legislative Assembly makes laws, and the Commonwealth retains power to disallow territory enactments.

The primary ACT policing statute is the Crimes Act 1900 (ACT), which sets out offences, arrest powers, search and seizure provisions and bail-related provisions; the Bail Act 1992 (ACT) governs bail decisions.

The ACT has no state-level death penalty and no corporal punishment; sentencing is governed by the Crimes (Sentencing) Act 2005 (ACT), which provides for alternatives such as intensive correction orders and good behaviour orders.

The Human Rights Act 2004 (ACT) requires public authorities, including police, to act consistently with human rights and to consider human rights in decision-making; limitations must be demonstrable and proportionate.

The ACT has decriminalised small quantities of cannabis for personal use under the Drugs of Dependence Act 1989 (ACT) amendments of 2020; commercial supply and driving offences remain criminal.

ACT Policing's community policing model emphasises partnerships with ACT Government agencies and community groups; the ACT has one of the highest police-to-population ratios in Australia.

The ACT Children and Young People Act 2008 governs the treatment of young people in the criminal justice system, including the presumption of doli incapax for children under 10 and diversionary options for young offenders.

The ACT courts structure comprises the ACT Magistrates Court, the ACT Supreme Court and the ACT Court of Appeal; the Supreme Court hears indictable matters and appeals from the Magistrates Court.