Feedback and complaints

The AFP welcomes positive feedback and supports your right to complain.

Note: Any emails sent directly to AFP members regarding complaints may be blocked by the email filter and not responded to.

Your right to complain

The AFP supports your right to complain. You can complain about:

the conduct or actions of individual AFP appointees, or
the practices and procedures of the AFP.

A complaint can be made even in circumstances where:

the conduct or actions of the appointee occurred outside of Australia
the appointee was off-duty and their conduct breaches the AFP professional standards, or
the complainant cannot fully identify the AFP appointee concerned.

How to complain

A complaint must be lodged directly with the AFP. A complaint (excluding procurement-related complaints) can be lodged by:

completing an online form
attending or telephoning any AFP police station or office, or
contacting or writing to Professional Standards.

For information on procurement-related complaints see section entitled 'Procurement-related complaints' below.

AFP Professional Standards recognises the community communicates in a range of ways. For those who require assistance in making a complaint to Professional Standards, the following services may be of use:

Help with translating and interpreting

The Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National) is an interpreting service to help people who do not speak English in their daily lives, and for agencies and businesses to communicate with their non-English speaking clients.

Contact TIS National on 131 450 (within Australia) or for more information, please visit the Translating and Interpreting Service website.

Help making a telephone call

If you are deaf, or have a hearing or speech impairment, you can contact us through the National Relay Service.

Text telephone (TTY) or modem callers can contact the National Relay Service (NRS) on 133 677 (within Australia).

If it is hard for you to understand on the telephone you can use the Speech to Speech Relay (SSR) via the NRS on 1300 555 727 (within Australia).

NRS Chat (Internet Relay) users connect to the National Relay Service and ask for (02) 5127 2020.

Complaint process

The AFP Professional Standards portfolio is responsible for the oversight and investigation of all complaints received by the AFP.

Minor complaints relating to discourtesy, minor misconduct and underperformance issues will be actioned by managers within the workplace and will generally involve an independent AFP appointee dealing directly with the complainant to resolve the issue.

Minor complaints can commonly be resolved through explanation of the law, explanation of police practice or by bringing the complainants concerns to the attention of the AFP appointee who is the subject of the complaint. The Professional Standards portfolio oversees outcomes of minor complaints.

Serious complaints will be investigated by Professional Standards.

The Commonwealth Law Enforcement Ombudsman is required to inspect AFP complaint records and report to the Australian Parliament, commenting on the adequacy and comprehensiveness of how the AFP has dealt with conduct and practices issues, as well as its handling of inquiries ordered by the relevant minister.

Complaints relating to corruption matters will be referred by the AFP Commissioner to the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity (ACLEI) for appropriate action.

Claiming compensation from us

If the Australian Federal Police (AFP) has made an error that has caused you a financial loss or some other detriment, you might be able to make a claim for compensation.

Online forms

These online forms may be used to lodge a complaint about the conduct or actions of individual AFP appointees, or the practices and procedures of the AFP.

Complaint form (Complain about the conduct of an AFP appointee, providing your own contact details)
Complaint form - on behalf of (Complain about the conduct of an AFP appointee on behalf of someone else.)
Complaint form - anonymous (Complain about the conduct of an AFP appointee anonymously.)

It is important to ensure that all fields are completed with as much information as possible to avoid any unnecessary delay in processing your form.

If you have difficulties completing the forms, or for more information please contact AFP Professional Standards.

Procurement-related complaints

In accordance with the Commonwealth Procurement Rules (CPRs) the AFP will apply timely, equitable and non-discriminatory procurement complaint management procedures.

The AFP will aim to resolve all matters internally by working directly with the complainant, where possible, through communication and conciliation.

All procurement-related complaints in relation to AFP procurement activities, in the first instance, should be raised with the AFP. This does not include contractual disputes which should be directed to the AFP Contract Manager as per the terms of the executed contract.

Formal procurement complaints must to be lodged by email addressed to the AFP Procurement Complaints Officer.

To assist the AFP in resolving complaints in a timely manner the emailed complaint should include the following information:

Procurement-related complaint checklist

Complainant contact details
Company name (registered name and trading name/s)*
ABN/ACN*
Registered address*
Telephone number/s*
E-mail address/es*
Complainant representative name and contact details (email address and phone number/s)*
Information on the procurement
AusTender ID (ATM ID/CN ID/SON ID)*
Estimated contract value
Product or service being procured*
UNSPSC code
Relevant times and dates (i.e. issuance of tender, tender closing, and contract award)
Complaint particulars
Detailed statement of all relevant events and facts in support of complaint*
Relevant times and dates*
Provisions of the Commonwealth Procurement Rules that have allegedly been breached*
Statement of form of relief requested
Remedy being sought*
Complaint costs and/or tender preparation costs, if applicable*
Postponement of contract award, if applicable*
Attachments
Any other information which will be of benefit to resolve the complaint including any correspondence or other evidence

*Mandatory information for those procurement-related complaints which fall within the scope of the Government Procurement (Judicial Review) Act 2018 (the Act).

Further information on procurement-related complaints refer to Department of Finance website.

Public interest certificates

Under the Government Procurement (Judicial Review) Act 2018 the AFP must publish all Public Interest Certificates (PICs) issued against relevant covered procurement activities.

A schedule (and copies) of PICs issued by the AFP for the current financial year can be found here.

Positive feedback

Use this form to provide positive feedback in relation to an AFP appointee. Alternatively you may attend or telephone any AFP police station or office, or write to AFP Professional Standards.

Contact

Professional Standards Operations Monitoring Centre
Professional Standards Operations Monitoring Centre
PO Box 401
Canberra City ACT 2601
Ph: (02) 5127 2020