Australian Federal Police (AFP)
Overview
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) began operations on 19 October 1979. The organisation is a progressive and multi-faceted law enforcement agency taking a strong lead in the fight against 21st century crime. The AFP occupies a unique position in Australian law enforcement as the primary law enforcement agency of the Australian Government. As such, it has important responsibilities in the international, national and local spheres. Each of these spheres presents a complex and dynamic environment for policing. All three are affected by the high level drivers of change. For example, the need for security in the face of the ongoing threat of terrorism drives our international cooperation and capacity building assistance, particularly in the region; underpins our important national role in counter-terrorism arrangements; and reinforces the importance of protecting the institutions of government and the diplomatic community locally in the Australian Capital Territory.
By employing the core principles of prevention, deterrence, partnership, and innovation, the AFP strives to build a more secure future for Australia and its global partners. The AFP has a strong commitment to international relations which drives interagency collaboration and enables transnational crime to be tackled anywhere. The AFP is a truly global policing agency committed to staying one step ahead in a rapidly evolving criminal environment. Through its network of strategically deployed Liaison Officers throughout the world, the AFP has a pro-active capacity to combat the increasing complexity and sophistication of criminal activity which has become more global by nature. In Thailand the AFP undertakes liaison, in conjunction with other Australian Government agencies, with Thai law enforcement and associated agencies on a range of matters. These include investigations, prosecutions, extraditions, and other criminal matters. The Bangkok Post of the AFP also manages significant capacity development projects to enhance and strengthen the capacity and capability of local law enforcement agencies. The AFP currently works cooperatively with the Royal Thai Police, ‘Centre for the Prevention and Combatting Transnational Crime’ and the ‘Regional Cooperation Team’ to enhance intelligence collection, analysis and dissemination relating to transnational organised crime issues. The AFP's international Liaison Officers also provide reporting on international criminal trends and generate disruption of criminal syndicates operating off shore which impact Australia and international partners. The work of the AFP in Thailand is enhanced by the strong relationships its members foster with local Thai law enforcement and other international law enforcement representatives based in Thailand.
The AFP is committed to developing and enhancing partnerships with a range of organisations nationally and internationally. These relationships are essential if we are to effectively confront the complexity of the challenges that we face. The AFP core values are integrity, commitment, excellence, accountability, fairness, trust and respect which underpin the success of these relationships and enables the AFP to provide dynamic and effective law enforcement to the people of Australia.