Operations and Missions

Purpose

Operations and Missions provide overall management of all Missions and Operations within the IDG. This allows teams to concentrate on the collection, collation and evaluation of requests in support of mission specific requirements. IDG mission areas are divided into desks to facilitate ease of communications to and from Missions and Operations. The main focus of each desk has been outlined below:

Capacity Development Operations

The Capacity Development desk supports the following programs:

• Solomon Islands: Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI);
• Timor-Leste: Timor-Leste Police Development Program (TLPDP);
• UNMIT: the United Nations Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT);
• Vanuatu: Vanuatu Police Force Capacity Building Program;
• Tonga: Tonga Police Development Program;
• Pacific Police Development Program: multilateral program of support across Pacific Island Forum Countries (excluding Fiji) including bilateral programs in Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Nauru.

Further information about each of these programs is provided below:

Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI)

The Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) commenced in 2003 in response to a request from the Solomon Islands Government. The initial mandate was to restore law and order. Since 2004, the security situation has stabilised and the mission objective is now 'to cement the rule of law in Solomon Islands'. Capacity building efforts are focussed on establishing a Royal Solomon Islands Police Force that operates effectively and independently of RAMSI.

Timor-Leste Police Development Program (TLPDP)

Australia has provided police assistance to Timor Leste since September 1999, both bilaterally and multilaterally, including support to United Nations (UN) sponsored missions.

The AFP contributes to capacity development in Timor-Leste under the auspices of two programs: the Timor Leste Police Development Program (TLPDP) and the United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor (UNMIT).

TLPDP

In the Federal Budget announcement in May 2010, the TLPDP received $74.7 million funding over 2010-2014 to continue its capacity building work in Timor-Leste. Currently, the AFP provides 32 members to TLPDP along with 10 contracted staff who conduct a range of training, mentoring and capacity building programs.

Vanuatu

The Vanuatu Police Force (VPF) Capacity Building Project commenced in February 2006 with a focus on institutional reform and capacity development. On 16 February 2011, the project was renamed the Vanuatu Australia Police Project (VAPP). The project will continue until 30 June 2013 and is a joint project with AusAID.

Tonga

The Tonga Police Development Program (TPDP) is a trilateral program with New Zealand and Tonga. AFP members support the Police Commander and members of the Tonga Police to achieve the program's goal of professionalising the Tonga Police.

Samoa

The Samoa-Australia Police Partnership (S-APP) is a bilateral program and operates within the framework of the Samoa-Australia Partnership for Development. It is founded upon an institutional relationship between the Samoa Police and Prison Service and the AFP, within the broader context of external support to Samoa's law and justice sector.

Nauru

The Nauru Police Force Cooperation Program is a bilateral program and was established in November 2004 under a Memorandum of Understanding between Australia and Nauru. The Program is designed to address a range of issues affecting the Nauru Police, focusing on mentoring and capacity development. The AFP Program Manager, Superintendent Richard Britten, holds the position of Commissioner Nauru Police Force.

Papua New Guinea

Phase l of the Papua New Guinea-Australia Policing Partnership commenced in September 2008 with the focus on design (scoping) and relationship building. This resulted in the development of the Strategic Framework. The Strategic Framework is designed to guide improved RPNGC service delivery and institute positive behaviour change over a 30 year timeframe and has been endorsed by CRPNGC as the RPNGC's blueprint for reform.

The commencement of Phase ll Foundational Planning preparation signifies the transition from design (scoping) to implementation of agreed activities. This implementation activity will run over the next 18 months from January 2011 until 30 June 2012.

Pacific Police Development Program – Regional (PPDPR)

The Pacific Police Development Program (Regional) (PPDPR) delivers:

• Country-specific support to Tuvalu, Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Palau, Niue, Federated States of Micronesia and Cook islands, and Support to address common whole-of-Pacific Region needs. As such, PPDPR also provides support to Nauru, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.

The PPDPR focuses on support for the development of:

• Police leadership capacity,
• Investigations and operational policing capacity,
• Vocational and Professional development capacity, and
• Governance and corporate support capacity.

PNG & Pacific Desk

The IDG Rest of Pacific Mission Desk is responsible for looking after PNG, Nauru, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu.

The desk comprises of a Team Leader and three Team Members. The main roles of the desk include:

• Responsibility for organising the deployment of members to long term or short advisor positions;
• Ensuring members are appropriately trained, equipped and briefed to undertake mission roles;
• Ensuring members are appropriately supported during Mission deployment (through assistance of A-based support areas);
• Monitor security environment in mission by liaising with key stakeholders, other government agencies and monitoring the media;
• Key first point of contact between Mission and the IDG Executive;
• Ensure the IDG Executive and Mission are regularly briefed on all relevant issues/correspondence;
• And arranging all visits into and out of mission for the Executive or other AFP members providing advice/assistance.

Missions

The Missions desks support the following programs:

• UNMISS: the United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan;
• UNFICYP: the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus;
• PAUNNY: the Police Advisor United Nations New York and the United Nations Senior Police Advisor to the Department of Peacekeeping Operations;
• Afghanistan: Provision of senior police advisors to the Counter Combined Security Transition Command – Afghanistan and the Counter Narcotics Police of Afghanistan.
• External Territories: External Territories Policing at Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Norfolk Island and Jervis Bay; and
• Northern Territory: Northern Territory Emergency Response.

South Sudan

The AFP has contributed to United Nations Mission in Sudan since March 2006.

The mandate for UN Mission in Sudan concluded on 9 July 2011, following the creation of South Sudan as an independent sovereign state.

On 8 July 2011, the UN unanimously adopted resolution 1996 (2011) establishing the UN Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNMISS) for an initial period of one year.

Cyprus

The United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) was established in 1964 to prevent further fighting between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities. UNFICYP continues to supervise ceasefire lines, maintains a buffer zone and undertakes humanitarian activities.

Afghanistan

The AFP commitment to Afghanistan commenced on 20 October 2007.  In December 2009, in accordance with government direction, the AFP reviewed its Afghanistan operations in consultation with partner agencies. In July 2010, the two AFP operations (Synergy and Contego) were amalgamated into a single Afghanistan Mission, namely Operation Illuminate.

The AFP has adopted a four-pillar approach to assist the Afghan National Police (ANP) by:

• facilitating a coordinated approach
• influencing and shaping the policing environment
• building and developing the ANP and
• contributing to reducing crime through capacity development efforts.

The AFP objectives to improve the effectiveness, legitimacy and accountability of ANP contribute to strategic objectives of:

• reducing poverty and conflict by building security
• promoting Rule of Law and 
• supporting boarder development efforts in Afghanistan.

The 28 members of the AFP currently in Afghanistan are working towards achieving these goals.

External Territories

The AFP provides community policing services to the Australian External Territories of Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Norfolk Island and Jervis Bay. The AFP is also responsible for maintaining a search and rescue coordination capability and, with the exception of Norfolk Island, a maritime capability.

AFP members on Cocos (Keeling) Islands provide limited Customs services under arrangements with the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service.

AFP members on Norfolk Island are sworn members of the Norfolk Island Police Force, pursuant to the Norfolk Island Policing Agreement 1993 and are supported by locally engaged special constables of the Norfolk Island Police Force. AFP members on Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands are supported in their duties by locally engaged personnel who are sworn as Special Members of the AFP.

Northern Territory Child Abuse Taskforce (CAT)

The AFP provides six sworn members in support of the Northern Territory Child Abuse Taskforce which has a primary focus on 'serious serial violence, child physical and sexual abuse and other criminality which contributes to those crimes in indigenous communities'.

IDG Plans

IDG Plans provide strategic, operational and mission planning; develop and maintain mission documentation and doctrine to support mission planning and conduct; analyse deployment capability requirements or developments and assist in procurement activities as appropriate. Within the Planning and Development Section there are two (three) sub-sections.

• Strategic Planning
• Operational Planning
• Doctrine, Development and Evaluation

AFP ADF LIAISON OFFICERS

Responsible for:

• Improving the collective abilities of the AFP and ADF to work together
• Assist in the coordination of effort between the AFP and ADF
• Provide advice on Police operations, processes and procedures to the ADF as appropriate

Note that both ADF LO's are currently located at HQJOC.