The Specialist Protective Services (SPS) (formerly Specialist Response Group (SRG)) is a highly trained police unit of the Australian Federal Police (AFP) consisting of a range of teams capable of deploying at short notice in order to undertake a variety of specialist policing tasks.
The Tactical Response Team is deployed locally, nationally and internationally - fighting crime is at its source and protecting Australians and Australian interests.
The SRG is the AFP's highly trained operationally skilled specialist policing capability. The SRG provides the AFP with a professional, flexible and dynamic capability across three distinct operational areas.
PSO's operate within the AFP's Specialist Protective Command (SPC) across regional Commands. PSO's keep individuals and interests identified by the Commonwealth as being at risk safe from acts of terrorism, violent protest and issues motivated by violence.
More than half of the federal police's staff at Sydney Airport are Protective Services Officers, who have less training than police officers and no more powers of arrest than a member of the public. Traditionally, "PSOs" work to protect embassies and the prime minister's residence.
Upon graduation PSOs will receive a base salary of $72,690 (inclusive of 22% composite) and those deployed to any of the three remote localities will receive up to $30,000 per year (taxable) as part of the Remote Defence Capability Payment (RDCP) and an additional Remote Localities Allowance.
Roles in Police and Protective Service Officer Entry Level earn an average of A$57,846 to A$62,263.
Exclusion Periods
To be considered for a role within the AFP, applicants must be of good character and will be assessed according to their responses to the questions asked. Criminal, driving and other integrity related matters may be considered amongst other checks.
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According to a survey conducted in 28 countries in 2022, trust in the police is the highest in Denmark, the Netherlands, and in Sweden. In 2022, some 58 percent of respondents in Denmark and the Netherlands defined the police as trustworthy, while the share of respondents stating the same in Sweden was 55 percent.
The Counter Terrorism & Special Tactics Command is responsible for NSW Police Force's preparedness for, prevention of and response to the threat of terrorism in NSW. The Command also provides tactical support to general policing throughout the State.
The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission
The ACIC is Australia's national criminal intelligence agency. We work with our law enforcement partners to make Australia hostile to criminal exploitation.
In the United States, a SWAT team (special weapons and tactics, originally special weapons assault team) is a police tactical unit that uses specialized or military equipment and tactics.
Can I apply? If you have a history of ADD / ADHD you need to have recovered from the diagnosis and no longer be requiring medication. You need to have been asymptomatic without medication for a minimum of 12 months prior to being considered. You must also provide a current Psychiatric report.
Equipment. SPS does not publicise information on weapon platforms or other equipment utilised by their operators, but they are known to utilise a wide variety of specialist weapons and munitions. The AFP utilises variants of the Glock pistol and are known to use the Heckler & Koch G36 5.56mm rifle.
The State police are required to perform many responsibilities on behalf of the Australian government. Becoming a Police Officer in Australia is a tough process. Not only is it universally hard across all Australian states but each state has its own police service and recruitment process.
To put it in simple terms, state police enforce state law (legislation passed by the states) and are controlled by the various state governments and the AFP deals with federal/commonwealth law and is controlled by the federal government. They are also the local law enforcement agency in the ACT (Canberra).
The national average salary for a Detective is $113,859 in Australia.
There is no such thing as a typical AFP career. Becoming a Constable in the ACT can lead to stints as a General Duties 'beat cop,' qualifying as a Detective and working on murder or organised crime investigations, or being part of a team dedicated to helping victims of sexual abuse.
Among Australian Police Officers, Police Recruits, First Year Constables or Probationary Constables tend to have the lowest pay rates, while more experienced positions like Senior Constables who have progressed their career through the ranks enjoy the highest pay rates.
The Protective Service Officer Program (PSOP) gives protective service officer recruits the required skills and knowledge to perform effectively. Lasting approximately 14 weeks, the PSOP incorporates theory and practical learning.
A long career
Our employees spend an average of 11 years working for the AFP, compared to the Australian average 3.4 years per job. The reward of keeping Australians and Australian interests safe, and our commitment to inclusivity, help deliver job satisfaction.