Team features

Law enforcement team

The Law Enforcement Team consists of seven investigators, with a Senior Assistant Ombudsman overseeing the Team. Located in Canberra, the Law Enforcement Team handles all complaints about the Australian Federal Police (AFP) in its international and national policing roles, and its community policing role for the Australian Capital Territory. The Ombudsman�s law enforcement activities also include the Australian Protective Service and the Australian Crime Commission (ACC).

Complaints about the AFP are distinguished from other complaints received by the Ombudsman in one key respect. Under the Complaints (Australian Federal Police) Act 1981, the AFP must inform the Ombudsman of all complaints received by the AFP. In this way, the Ombudsman oversights the AFP�s handling of complaints. This approach allows the Ombudsman to ensure that complaints are handled properly and to make observations about the AFP�s overall complaint handling and investigation process.

The Law Enforcement Team also inspects the records of the AFP and the ACC�s telecommunications interceptions and controlled operations (ie activities that might otherwise be unlawful but which are authorised in order to gather evidence). The results of these inspections are reported direct to the Attorney-General and to the Presiding Officers of Parliament.

The work of the Law Enforcement Team is expanding as the Australian Government extends its role in law enforcement. New legislation concerning the use of surveillance devices that will entail significant inspection work by the Team is being considered by Parliament. It is expected that similar legislation will be developed for other forms of law enforcement activity. The Team is also a contact point for persons detained under new anti-terrorism legislation.

This increased role means that the Law Enforcement Team continues to play an important part in ensuring that the accountability and integrity of law enforcement agencies is maintained.

Further information in Chapter 5.