Australian Protective Service
Encyclopedia
The Australian Protective Service (APS) was an Australia
n Commonwealth (Federal) agency which existed between 1984 and 2004. The APS was created by the separation of the Protective Service component of the Australian Federal Police
(AFP) into a new agency based upon recommendations contained in the Stewart Royal Commission of Inquiry into Drug Trafficking. It was initially responsible for protecting personnel and property of the Australian
government, foreign diplomatic missions and Internationally Protected Persons (IPPs) and the provision of custodial services at immigration detention centres. From 1991 the APS commenced providing Counter Terrorist First Response duties at certain security-designated airports including the specialist Bomb Appraisal Officer function and, following the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, deployed Air Security Officers (ASOs - often referred to as 'Air Marshals') on board Australian registered commercial aircraft. Close Personal Protection (CPP), or bodyguard
, functions were never provided by the APS; where this has been a Commonwealth responsibility, the function is provided by the AFP.
The staff and functions of the APS were reintegrated into the AFP in 2004 as part of Australian Government efforts to better coordinate the response to terrorism.
.
The APS follows a tradition which goes back through its immediate predecessor (the Protective Service component of the Australian Federal Police), the uniformed branch of the former Commonwealth Police and further to that, the former Peace Officer Guard. What follows is a brief history of the Commonwealth Law Enforcement and Security Service which has led up to the inception of the Australian Protective Service (APS).
Australian's first Commonwealth Police Force was short lived - surviving only two years between December 1917 and 1919 being set up following an altercation between the then Prime Minister of Australia, William Morris (Billie) Hughes and a heckler at a rally in Queensland after local police sergeant declined to become involved 'in a Federal matter'. In later years discussions between Commonwealth government and state authorities resulted in the birth of the Commonwealth Investigation Service - a plainclothes unit with the responsibility of conducting investigations into specific breaches of Commonwealth legislation. The early 1930s saw the formation of the Peace Officer Guard with the aim of protecting Commonwealth property and interests. The Peace Officer Guard (POG) operated at such establishments as munitions factories, research facilities and certain Commonwealth Government departments. The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) came into existence in 1949, absorbing some of the functions of the Commonwealth Investigations Service and assuming new areas of responsibilities. The Commonwealth Police was re-formed in 1960, absorbing both Peace Officer Guards and Commonwealth Investigations Service officers. In 1975 the most ambitious plan to restructure Australia's national police service was attempted by the Commonwealth Government. An amalgamation of Commonwealth Police, Northern Territory Police and Australian Capital Territory Police forces, Department of Customs and Excise and Special Reports Branch of the Department of Immigration would have produced the "Australia Police". However, the amalgamation was abandoned later the same year following a change of Government. The bombing of the Hilton Hotel in Sydney during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) on 13 February 1978 prompted the Federal Government to commission an inquiry into Australia's national police service by former London Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir Robert Mark. As a consequence of this inquiry, on 19 October 1979, the Commonwealth Police and the Australian Capital Police Forces were amalgamated to form the Australian Federal Police which, shortly after, was expanded to assume the functions of the former Narcotics Section of the Bureau of Customs.
The Australian Federal Police was initially established as a two component force, with General Policing and Protective components. As previously mentioned, prior to 1960, Federal Law Enforcement was carried out by two organisations, the Commonwealth Investigative Service and Peace Officer Guard. The primary function of the Protective Service Component of the AFP was to continue the duties which were originally laid down for the POG. On 14 December 1983 the federal government decided that the Protective Service Component of the AFP should be abolished and a separate, dedicated protective security service established. Subsequently the Australian Federal Police (Amendment) ACt 1984 was passed by Federal Parliament and came into force on 19 October 1984. This resulted in the abolition of the Protective Service Component and on day one (20 October 1984) the establishment of the Australian Protective Service resulted with the transfers of 420 Constables under Section 9f of the Public Service Act.
The Australian Protective Service was the Commonwealth Government's specialist custodial, protective security and Counter Terrorist law enforcement agency. Plain clothed operations were normally restricted to members of the NSW Region Escort Response Group (ERG) and the more recently introduced Air Security Officers (Sky Marshals). However, Protective Service members in locations such as Darwin, deployed regularly in the mid to late 90's to escort Immigration detainees, usually in civilian attire to blend in on domestic aircraft.
The APS was responsible for the protection of property in which the Commonwealth
, a foreign country or an international organisation has an interest in, persons holding office under the Commonwealth, their families and internationally protected persons. The APS also operated some functions in the contestable private sector area. With the sale of Australian airport facilities the APS contracted for the provision of Counter Terrorism First Response (CTFR) role to the airport operators.
Unlike other law enforcement agencies, the APS had limited internal honors and awards, the most coveted being the Australian Protective Service Directors Award handed out by the head of the Agency the APS Director.
Post the September 11 terror attacks the Commonwealth Government conducted a review and as a result decided to combine both the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and the APS in order to ensure the closest possible co-ordination between two of Australia's key counter terrorist agencies and on 1 July 2004 the Australian Protective Service merged into the AFP, becoming an Operating Division. It was then renamed the Australian Federal Police Protective Service and is now known as the Australian Federal Police Uniformed Protection.
At the time of its full integration to the AFP on 1 July 2004, the Protective Service had 1327 employees.
(AFP) on 1 July 2002. The legislation passed and full integration took effect from 1 July 2004. The service is now known as the Australian Federal Police Uniformed Protection. Protective Service is a function which now falls under Aviation Security and Protection in the AFP.
AFP Uniformed Protection officers are referred to as "Protective Service Officers" (PSOs) Their primary functions are Counter Terrorist First Response (CTFR) at Australia's major airports and uniformed protection at selected sensitive sites across Australia including Parliament House, Diplomatic Protection and Defence sites to name a few. PSOs, whilst not sworn police, do have specialised powers under the Australian Federal Police Act 1979 (powers of arrest for Commonwealth Offences relating to Commonwealth property.)
In 2007, the APEC Summit hosted in various Australian states and cities including Sydney
had AFPPS involvement regarding enforcement and protection as world leaders including John Howard
, George W. Bush
and other government and economic leaders will be in attendance.
s.
The ASO Programme provides a discreet anti-hijacking
capability for Australian civil aviation by providing armed security personnel on board aircraft. This involves both random and intelligence-led placement of armed ASOs on flights operated by Australian registered air carriers, including domestic and international flights into and out of Australia.
The program draws from a pool of applicants that includes Defence Force personnel and employees of State Police
Forces and the AFP but must be sworn as PSO's for the AFP.
role. The AFP's peacekeeping efforts are principally focused on the Pacific where the organisation assists in the law-enforcing efforts of many sovereign nations. As such, AFP Protective Service officers are routinely deployed overseas to assist with peacekeeping operations due to the tactical training they have received.
AFPPS officers are at present deployed along with other Australian law enforcement officers in the Solomon Islands
as part of RAMSI. The peacekeeping force suffered their first casualty on 22 December 2004 when Officer Adam Dunning was shot and killed while deployed on official duties in the Solomon Islands. Dunning's partner was also seriously wounded in the attack. Two former members of a local militia were charged but acquitted of Dunning's murder. Officer Dunning was buried with full Police Honours.
The main street of a new AFP training village in Canberra was named Adam Dunning Drive in his memory. The $2.8 million training facility at Mount Majura
just outside Canberra, has been designed to replicate situations in regional countries to which personnel might be assigned.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n Commonwealth (Federal) agency which existed between 1984 and 2004. The APS was created by the separation of the Protective Service component of the Australian Federal Police
Australian Federal Police
The Australian Federal Police is the federal police agency of the Commonwealth of Australia. Although the AFP was created by the amalgamation in 1979 of three Commonwealth law enforcement agencies, it traces its history from Commonwealth law enforcement agencies dating back to the federation of...
(AFP) into a new agency based upon recommendations contained in the Stewart Royal Commission of Inquiry into Drug Trafficking. It was initially responsible for protecting personnel and property of the Australian
Government of Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia is a federal constitutional monarchy under a parliamentary democracy. The Commonwealth of Australia was formed in 1901 as a result of an agreement among six self-governing British colonies, which became the six states...
government, foreign diplomatic missions and Internationally Protected Persons (IPPs) and the provision of custodial services at immigration detention centres. From 1991 the APS commenced providing Counter Terrorist First Response duties at certain security-designated airports including the specialist Bomb Appraisal Officer function and, following the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, deployed Air Security Officers (ASOs - often referred to as 'Air Marshals') on board Australian registered commercial aircraft. Close Personal Protection (CPP), or bodyguard
Bodyguard
A bodyguard is a type of security operative or government agent who protects a person—usually a famous, wealthy, or politically important figure—from assault, kidnapping, assassination, stalking, loss of confidential information, terrorist attack or other threats.Most important public figures such...
, functions were never provided by the APS; where this has been a Commonwealth responsibility, the function is provided by the AFP.
The staff and functions of the APS were reintegrated into the AFP in 2004 as part of Australian Government efforts to better coordinate the response to terrorism.
History
The Australian Protective Service (APS) was established in 1984 when 420 Constables transferred over from the Australian Federal PoliceAustralian Federal Police
The Australian Federal Police is the federal police agency of the Commonwealth of Australia. Although the AFP was created by the amalgamation in 1979 of three Commonwealth law enforcement agencies, it traces its history from Commonwealth law enforcement agencies dating back to the federation of...
.
The APS follows a tradition which goes back through its immediate predecessor (the Protective Service component of the Australian Federal Police), the uniformed branch of the former Commonwealth Police and further to that, the former Peace Officer Guard. What follows is a brief history of the Commonwealth Law Enforcement and Security Service which has led up to the inception of the Australian Protective Service (APS).
Australian's first Commonwealth Police Force was short lived - surviving only two years between December 1917 and 1919 being set up following an altercation between the then Prime Minister of Australia, William Morris (Billie) Hughes and a heckler at a rally in Queensland after local police sergeant declined to become involved 'in a Federal matter'. In later years discussions between Commonwealth government and state authorities resulted in the birth of the Commonwealth Investigation Service - a plainclothes unit with the responsibility of conducting investigations into specific breaches of Commonwealth legislation. The early 1930s saw the formation of the Peace Officer Guard with the aim of protecting Commonwealth property and interests. The Peace Officer Guard (POG) operated at such establishments as munitions factories, research facilities and certain Commonwealth Government departments. The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) came into existence in 1949, absorbing some of the functions of the Commonwealth Investigations Service and assuming new areas of responsibilities. The Commonwealth Police was re-formed in 1960, absorbing both Peace Officer Guards and Commonwealth Investigations Service officers. In 1975 the most ambitious plan to restructure Australia's national police service was attempted by the Commonwealth Government. An amalgamation of Commonwealth Police, Northern Territory Police and Australian Capital Territory Police forces, Department of Customs and Excise and Special Reports Branch of the Department of Immigration would have produced the "Australia Police". However, the amalgamation was abandoned later the same year following a change of Government. The bombing of the Hilton Hotel in Sydney during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) on 13 February 1978 prompted the Federal Government to commission an inquiry into Australia's national police service by former London Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir Robert Mark. As a consequence of this inquiry, on 19 October 1979, the Commonwealth Police and the Australian Capital Police Forces were amalgamated to form the Australian Federal Police which, shortly after, was expanded to assume the functions of the former Narcotics Section of the Bureau of Customs.
The Australian Federal Police was initially established as a two component force, with General Policing and Protective components. As previously mentioned, prior to 1960, Federal Law Enforcement was carried out by two organisations, the Commonwealth Investigative Service and Peace Officer Guard. The primary function of the Protective Service Component of the AFP was to continue the duties which were originally laid down for the POG. On 14 December 1983 the federal government decided that the Protective Service Component of the AFP should be abolished and a separate, dedicated protective security service established. Subsequently the Australian Federal Police (Amendment) ACt 1984 was passed by Federal Parliament and came into force on 19 October 1984. This resulted in the abolition of the Protective Service Component and on day one (20 October 1984) the establishment of the Australian Protective Service resulted with the transfers of 420 Constables under Section 9f of the Public Service Act.
The Australian Protective Service was the Commonwealth Government's specialist custodial, protective security and Counter Terrorist law enforcement agency. Plain clothed operations were normally restricted to members of the NSW Region Escort Response Group (ERG) and the more recently introduced Air Security Officers (Sky Marshals). However, Protective Service members in locations such as Darwin, deployed regularly in the mid to late 90's to escort Immigration detainees, usually in civilian attire to blend in on domestic aircraft.
The APS was responsible for the protection of property in which the Commonwealth
Commonwealth
Commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has sometimes been synonymous with "republic."More recently it has been used for fraternal associations of some sovereign nations...
, a foreign country or an international organisation has an interest in, persons holding office under the Commonwealth, their families and internationally protected persons. The APS also operated some functions in the contestable private sector area. With the sale of Australian airport facilities the APS contracted for the provision of Counter Terrorism First Response (CTFR) role to the airport operators.
Unlike other law enforcement agencies, the APS had limited internal honors and awards, the most coveted being the Australian Protective Service Directors Award handed out by the head of the Agency the APS Director.
Post the September 11 terror attacks the Commonwealth Government conducted a review and as a result decided to combine both the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and the APS in order to ensure the closest possible co-ordination between two of Australia's key counter terrorist agencies and on 1 July 2004 the Australian Protective Service merged into the AFP, becoming an Operating Division. It was then renamed the Australian Federal Police Protective Service and is now known as the Australian Federal Police Uniformed Protection.
At the time of its full integration to the AFP on 1 July 2004, the Protective Service had 1327 employees.
Present
The Australian Protective Service Amendment Bill 2002 was introduced into the Parliament with the intention of making the Australian Protective Service (APS) become an operating division of the Australian Federal PoliceAustralian Federal Police
The Australian Federal Police is the federal police agency of the Commonwealth of Australia. Although the AFP was created by the amalgamation in 1979 of three Commonwealth law enforcement agencies, it traces its history from Commonwealth law enforcement agencies dating back to the federation of...
(AFP) on 1 July 2002. The legislation passed and full integration took effect from 1 July 2004. The service is now known as the Australian Federal Police Uniformed Protection. Protective Service is a function which now falls under Aviation Security and Protection in the AFP.
AFP Uniformed Protection officers are referred to as "Protective Service Officers" (PSOs) Their primary functions are Counter Terrorist First Response (CTFR) at Australia's major airports and uniformed protection at selected sensitive sites across Australia including Parliament House, Diplomatic Protection and Defence sites to name a few. PSOs, whilst not sworn police, do have specialised powers under the Australian Federal Police Act 1979 (powers of arrest for Commonwealth Offences relating to Commonwealth property.)
Roles and functions
Some of the key roles undertaken by the APS included:- High level security at the residences of the Governor-GeneralGovernor-GeneralA Governor-General, is a vice-regal person of a monarch in an independent realm or a major colonial circonscription. Depending on the political arrangement of the territory, a Governor General can be a governor of high rank, or a principal governor ranking above "ordinary" governors.- Current uses...
and the Prime MinisterPrime ministerA prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
of the Commonwealth of AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area... - Protection of Parliament HouseParliament HouseParliament House is the name of the seat of Parliament in a number of jurisdictions:-Australia:Commonwealth Parliament* Parliament House, Canberra, Parliament of Australia* Old Parliament House, CanberraState and Territory Parliaments...
, and the Office of the Prime Minister - Protection of foreign embassies and consulate offices within Australia (such as the United States Diplomatic missionDiplomatic missionA diplomatic mission is a group of people from one state or an international inter-governmental organisation present in another state to represent the sending state/organisation in the receiving state...
to Australia) - Protection of sensitive defence establishments, including Defence Headquarters at Russell OfficesRussell OfficesThe Russell Offices is a complex of office buildings located in the Canberra suburb of Russell.Together with Campbell Park, these two complexes are home to the Australian Department of Defence and contain the administrative headquarters of the Australian Defence Force.The Office of National...
in CanberraCanberraCanberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
; the joint Australian/US communications facility at Pine GapPine GapPine Gap is the commonly used name for a satellite tracking station at, some south-west of the town of Alice Springs in the centre of Australia which is operated by both Australia and the United States. The facility has become a key part of the local economy.It consists of a large computer complex...
in the Northern TerritoryNorthern TerritoryThe Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
; the former atomic testing site at Maralinga in South AustraliaSouth AustraliaSouth Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
; the Australian Defence Signals facility at Geraldton and the naval communications stationNaval Communication Station Harold E. HoltNaval Communication Station Harold E. Holt is located on the northwest coast of Australia, north of the town of Exmouth, Western Australia. The town of Exmouth was built at the same time as the communications station to provide support to the base and to house dependent families of U.S...
at ExmouthExmouthExmouth is a town in Devon. It may also refer to:Places*Exmouth Peninsula in Southern Chile*Exmouth, Western AustraliaPeople*Edward Pellew, 1st Viscount Exmouth , a British naval officerShips...
, both in Western AustraliaWestern AustraliaWestern Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east... - Protection of the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology OrganisationAustralian Nuclear Science and Technology OrganisationThe Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation is a statutory body of the Australian government, formed in 1987 to replace the Australian Atomic Energy Commission. Its head office and main facilities are in southern outskirts of Sydney at Lucas Heights, in the Sutherland Shire...
(ANSTO) at Lucas Heights and other sensitive nuclear storage facilities. - Counter-TerroristCounter-terrorismCounter-terrorism is the practices, tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, militaries, police departments and corporations adopt to prevent or in response to terrorist threats and/or acts, both real and imputed.The tactic of terrorism is available to insurgents and governments...
First Response (CTFR) functions at eleven designated airports; Adelaide, Alice Springs, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Gold Coast, Hobart, Perth, Melbourne and Sydney. - Perform security and escort protection for Commonwealth VIPs.
- Deployment of Air Security OfficersSky marshalA sky marshal is an undercover law enforcement or counter terrorist agent on board a commercial aircraft to counter aircraft hijackings...
(ASOs) aboard Australian-registered commercial passeneger aircraft. - Augmentation of security at other facilities or for designated operations, including during protest activity at immigration detention centres and as part of the security arrangements for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Queensland in 2001.
In 2007, the APEC Summit hosted in various Australian states and cities including Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
had AFPPS involvement regarding enforcement and protection as world leaders including John Howard
John Howard
John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies....
, George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
and other government and economic leaders will be in attendance.
The ASO program
In response to the 11 September incidents, the Commonwealth instituted an Air Security Officer Program under the APS. These employees are generally referred to in the media as Sky MarshalSky marshal
A sky marshal is an undercover law enforcement or counter terrorist agent on board a commercial aircraft to counter aircraft hijackings...
s.
The ASO Programme provides a discreet anti-hijacking
Aircraft hijacking
Aircraft hijacking is the unlawful seizure of an aircraft by an individual or a group. In most cases, the pilot is forced to fly according to the orders of the hijackers. Occasionally, however, the hijackers have flown the aircraft themselves, such as the September 11 attacks of 2001...
capability for Australian civil aviation by providing armed security personnel on board aircraft. This involves both random and intelligence-led placement of armed ASOs on flights operated by Australian registered air carriers, including domestic and international flights into and out of Australia.
The program draws from a pool of applicants that includes Defence Force personnel and employees of State Police
State police
State police are a type of sub-national territorial police force, particularly in Australia and the United States. Some other countries have analogous police forces, such as the provincial police in some Canadian provinces, while in other places, the same responsibilities are held by national...
Forces and the AFP but must be sworn as PSO's for the AFP.
Peacekeeping
A reflection of the AFP's international obligations is its peacekeepingPeacekeeping
Peacekeeping is an activity that aims to create the conditions for lasting peace. It is distinguished from both peacebuilding and peacemaking....
role. The AFP's peacekeeping efforts are principally focused on the Pacific where the organisation assists in the law-enforcing efforts of many sovereign nations. As such, AFP Protective Service officers are routinely deployed overseas to assist with peacekeeping operations due to the tactical training they have received.
AFPPS officers are at present deployed along with other Australian law enforcement officers in the Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
as part of RAMSI. The peacekeeping force suffered their first casualty on 22 December 2004 when Officer Adam Dunning was shot and killed while deployed on official duties in the Solomon Islands. Dunning's partner was also seriously wounded in the attack. Two former members of a local militia were charged but acquitted of Dunning's murder. Officer Dunning was buried with full Police Honours.
The main street of a new AFP training village in Canberra was named Adam Dunning Drive in his memory. The $2.8 million training facility at Mount Majura
Mount Majura
Mount Majura, is a small mountain located in Canberra, Australia. Mount Majura lies close to the more prominent Mount Ainslie and at 888 metres is the highest point in Canberra...
just outside Canberra, has been designed to replicate situations in regional countries to which personnel might be assigned.
See also
- Australian Federal PoliceAustralian Federal PoliceThe Australian Federal Police is the federal police agency of the Commonwealth of Australia. Although the AFP was created by the amalgamation in 1979 of three Commonwealth law enforcement agencies, it traces its history from Commonwealth law enforcement agencies dating back to the federation of...
- List of Australian Federal Police killed in the line of duty