Blue Line: AFP actions on Christmas Island

Release Date: Thursday, March 17 2011, 05:21 PM

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) would like to provide information regarding the incident where less-lethal use of force options were deployed at the Immigration Detention Centre (IDC) on Christmas Island on the evening of 13 March 2011.

Shortly after 11.30pm on 13 March 2011, members of the AFP's Operational Response Group (ORG) responded to an urgent request from SERCO and the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC).

This request was in relation to the safety of SERCO, DIAC staff and a number of clients inside the IDC facility.

Reporting indicates that a group of approximately 100 clients, some of whom were alleged armed with concrete blocks, rocks and tent poles, had surrounded and were attempting to gain entry into the area in which these staff and other clients were located.

As a result, the ORG responded based on the imminent threat to safety of all those involved in the incident.

During the incident ORG were required to use a range of less-lethal use of force options to diffuse the situation.

Staff members were safely removed from the facility.

The AFP has strict use of force guidelines which are designed to respond to violent confrontations with the minimum use of force, and minimum risk to all parties involved in an incident. 

Standard AFP procedure when any use of force option is employed is to review those actions to ensure that they were appropriate and proportionate to the circumstances involved in the incident.