International Liaison
The global criminal environment today is complex, borderless and fluid. With criminal groups active at local, national and international levels, investigations are increasingly likely to have an international context. The Australian Federal Police (AFP) conducts enquiries on behalf of all Australian State, Territory and Federal law enforcement agencies and cooperates with other Australian Government departments domestically and abroad to ensure a whole-of-government approach to fighting crime at its source.
The AFP provides a first point of contact for overseas law enforcement enquiries and international cooperation, through the International Liaison Officer Network, a global network of more than 83 International Liaison Officers at 36 posts in over 27 countries around the world. AFP International Liaison Officers are the Australian Government’s law enforcement representatives overseas. This network is available 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week.
View the AFP International map (PDF, 103Kb).
Within these facilities, the AFP can facilitate enquiries around the world, across all crime types ranging from transnational crimes to routine enquiries and coordination arrangements.
The three key elements to the AFP’s role internationally are:
- Collaboration – brokering collaboration with international law enforcement agencies to drive investigations and support bilateral or multi-lateral cooperation
- Intelligence gathering – collection and exchange of criminal intelligence in support of international law enforcement efforts
- Capacity building – enhancing the capacity and the capability of international law enforcement agencies to combat transnational crime.
Interpol/Europol
The role of the AFP as the Interpol National Central Bureau for Australia compliments the role of the AFP International Liaison Officers, particularly in countries where the AFP does not have a permanent presence. Many routine enquiries that do not require specific police-to-police engagement can be undertaken through Interpol’s extensive network. This includes, for example, criminal history checks, background enquiries, fingerprint comparisons or compassionate welfare notifications.
The AFP is the national contact point for Europol enquiries. Europol is the EU law enforcement organisation that handles criminal intelligence. The agreement with Europol facilitates transnational sharing of intelligence and access to crime-specific training and expertise. Enquiries will be administered by the AFP International Police Organisations (IPO) Desk.
You may access the AFP Practical Guide on International Police to Police Assistance in Death Penalty Charge Situations (PDF, 90kB).