Police officer – national policing | Australian Federal Police

Join the AFP as a police officer in national policing

As a police officer in national policing, you'll investigate and prevent crime to keep Australia – and our interests overseas – safe.

Your day-to-day work will be challenging and rewarding. You'll get to:

interview witnesses and suspects
collect, prepare and present evidence to the courts
use information to decide an appropriate law-enforcement response
work across teams and beside people in many different roles
collaborate with other police forces, at home and overseas
work on complex investigations, often with global partners.

Key benefits

Salary

Starts at $91,726.74 after graduation.

Superannuation

15.4% even during parental leave.

Locations

Australia-wide and overseas.

Entry pathway

Entry-level new recruits.

Basic eligibility

18 + Australian citizen, fit and active, driver’s licence, good character.

Salary is inclusive of base salary, 22% composite and Use of Force (UoF) allowance. The annual payment of the UoF allowance is dependent on members successfully holding and maintaining a UoF certification.

Leave, pay and benefits

What you’ll do

New AFP officers start working in either:

airport policing
investigative policing.

Investigative policing covers many areas, such as:

aviation
child protection
counter-terrorism and special investigations
cybercrime
forensics
fraud and anti-corruption
serious and organised crime.

As your police officer career progresses, you could specialise in a particular crime or develop advanced capabilities, such as:

canine handling
negotiations
tactical response.

Investigative police officer

Your day-to-day work as an investigative police officer will be challenging and varied. You'll do things like:

learn how to prevent and disrupt crime
investigate and respond to emerging national and international issues
protect Australia from serious organised crime and terrorism.

Airport policing

A day in airport policing is unlike any other. You'll do things like:

learn how to prevent and investigate aviation crime
be a part of law enforcement at one of Australia's 9 major airports
learn to use firearms and how to detect explosives
be a first responder during terrorist attacks or other emergency incidents.

Apply now

Eligibility and application process

From taking our eligibility tool and completing an online application to being merit listed and waiting for a place at the AFP College, our 8-stage application process can be as quick as 6 months, but it’s often up to 9 months.

For full information on each stage please read more about our application process.

Application process

Join us

Get paid to train

Earn while you learn at the AFP College during 26 weeks of paid training.

Great conditions

A generous salary, allowances, relocation support and 6 weeks of paid holidays.

Get qualified

After training, you have the opportunity to receive a POL50124 Diploma of Policing.

Career progression

Build your career as an AFP police officer, with clear pathways to promotion and specialist roles.

Different is beautiful. In the AFP, we celebrate that. It’ll be that difference that helps you thrive in the AFP."

Richard

Assistant Commissioner

You need to use your experience to get creative and get innovative, no day is ever the same."

Sarah

Detective Sergeant, Transnational Serious and Organised Crime

Meet us online or in person

Learn more about the roles we offer from our people.

Join us for a free online information session. Come and talk to us at a Careers Expo.

View events

Other sworn roles

National police officers investigate and prevent crime to keep Australia, and Australia's interests, safe. But we have other roles for sworn officers.