AFP across the world

Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) & AFP Policing Partnership Program (RAPPP)

The Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) and Australian Federal Police (AFP) Policing Partnership Program (RAPPP) is a four year program which commenced in 2021. The AFP has committed to a significant level of investment over the life of the program which is focused on the AFP’s provision of technical assistance and operational enabling assistance to support RSIPF with operational delivery of policing services in Solomon Islands (SI).

The program has six (6) delivery pillars which align to the RSIPF Executive structure to embed local ownership of the police-to-police operational partnership strategy. The strategy maps opportunities where the partnership will enable RSIPF and the AFP to leverage off each other’s strengths to detect, disrupt, prevent and prosecute domestic and overseas-based criminals operating in our region. It highlights how the partnership will collaboratively build upon current capabilities with RSIPF to deliver against those operational outcomes.

Solomons’ International Assistance Force (SIAF)

On 24 November 2021, the Australian Government received a request from the Solomon Islands Government (SIG) for assistance in response to protests in Honiara. Under the AFP led Operation SKYRAY the AFP was able to work with the RSIPF to quickly restore law and order, which continues to be maintained.

The SIAF was established to maintain this law and order. It is a police-led response, supported by military components delivered under the SIAF Bilateral Security Agreement (BST). Under the SIAF the AFP works in partnership in roles such as Public Order Management, community engagement, event based policing, targeted operations and uniform policing.

The SIAF deployment is a short term security arrangement mission under the BST and the RAPPP is the AFP’s long term operational police-to-police partnership endorsed by the SIG cabinet. The members deployed under the two different arrangements work in harmony to complement Government of Australia objective of remaining the SI partner of choice for security in the region.

Commencing in July 2004, the Timor-Leste Police Development Program (TLPDP) is a bilateral capacity building program of assistance to the Policia Nacional de Timor-Leste through an agreement between the Government of Timor-Leste and the Government of Australia. The objectives of the TLPDP are to assist the Government of Republica Democratica de Timor-Leste to build the foundations of an effective and accountable police service. The program focuses on the provision of advice, training, infrastructure and enabling tools. The TLPDP comprises sworn AFP officers, unsworn AFP staff, civilian specialists and locally employed staff.

The Pacific Police Development Program (PPDP) is an Australian Government initiative supporting a broad range of police development activities throughout the Pacific region. The program works with police in Pacific nations on improving the rule of law as a prerequisite for economic, social and political development of the region. The program operates a regional component, the Pacific Police Development Program Regional (PPDPR) as well as country specific bilateral programs in Vanuatu, Samoa, Tonga, Papua New Guinea and Nauru.

The PPDPR provides a range of services bilaterally to AFP missions as well as direct in-country support to Kiribati, Niue, Tuvalu, the Republic of Marshall Islands, Palau, Cook Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia. PPDPR projects are delivered under six interrelated program components: Strategic Partnerships; Leadership and Management; Learning and Development; Corporate Service Reform; Legal Frameworks; and Gender.

PPDPR promotes the safety and security of Pacific Island communities through effective operational policing under the motto 'for Pacific by Pacific'.

The Nauru Police Force Capacity Program (NPFCP) is a bilateral program that was established under a Memorandum of Understanding between Australia and Nauru in November 2004. The focus of the NPFPCP has been to develop and implement the foundations necessary for a professional, contemporary and competent policing organisation assisted by the development of governance instruments and systems, training and the provision of necessary physical resources.

The Samoa Australia Police Partnership (SAPP) commenced in 2009 and is currently a component of the Pacific Police Development Program, which is an Australian government initiative supporting a broad range of bilateral and multi-country police capacity development initiatives throughout the Pacific region. The program is focused on strengthening core policing functions, organisational leadership, management and corporate support within the Samoan Police Service.

The Tonga Police Development Program (TPDP) is a joint commitment with Australia, New Zealand and Tonga. TPDP supports the Tongan Police to achieve the goal of 'a trusted and respected policing service that works in partnership to reduce crime and build safe and secure communities.'

The AFP's contribution to the TPDP directly supports the Australian aid program's objective of helping people overcome poverty by promoting safety and security through improved operational effectiveness of Pacific police.

In 2001, the Government of Vanuatu requested assistance from the Australian government to improve the capabilities of the Vanuatu Police Force (VPF). Work commenced the following year and continued in varying capacity up until February 2011 when the Vanuatu Australia Police Project (VAPP) was formed. The VAPP is fully funded by the Government of Australia Official Development Assistance funds through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Australian Aid Program and utilises the technical expertise from the AFP, in the form of Advisors. The VAPP continues its support for law enforcement capacity building initiatives, focusing on the recruit training and professionalism of the VPF, infrastructure, workforce renewal and improvement to internal governance.

The Papua New Guinea-Australia Policing Partnership commenced in 2008. At that time, the AFP deployed 17 officers to Port Moresby, working within Bomana Police College, Internal Affairs Directorate, Fraud and Anti-Corruption Directorate and the Office of Reform.

In 2013, the AFP expanded the Mission following the agreement between Prime Ministers Rudd and O'Neill. That agreement included a small group of AFP officers to Lae.

The Agreement between Papua New Guinea and Australia highlights the requirement for highly visible policing activities. AFP officers work at local police stations in Port Moresby and Lae and undertake a range of duties in support of the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary, principally front office enquiries, custody management and station management.

AFP International Operations is responsible for the delivery of community policing services to the Jervis Bay Territory and the Australian External Territories of Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Norfolk Island. AFP members at these locations perform a variety of policing and related functions including Australian customs; border protection and immigration functions; responsibilities for land and maritime search and rescue operations and coordination and community policing.

For more information on Australia's External Territories please refer to the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development.

The Pacific Transnational Crime Network (PTCN) was established by the AFP in 2002 to provide a proactive, tactical, transnational criminal intelligence network for Pacific law enforcement agencies.

The PTCN consists of 28 locally staffed Transnational Crime Units (TCUs) in 20 countries including Guam, New Caledonia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, Republic of Marshall Islands, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu, Nauru, Tuvalu, American Samoa, New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific Transnational Crime Coordination Centre (PTCCC) in Apia, Samoa.