Expanded AFP Intelligence & Surveillance Capacity

Expanded AFP Intelligence and Surveillance Capacity

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) will be better equipped to investigate and prevent serious crime and terrorism, with new and improved intelligence access arrangements and surveillance equipment.

Attorney-General Philip Ruddock and Minister for Justice Senator Chris Ellison today announced funding of more than $87 million over four years, underscoring the Government’s determination to protect the Australian community.

The initiatives will enhance the AFP’s capacity to collect, assess, store and share threatrelated information and criminal intelligence both within the AFP and with its partner agencies.

As Australia’s primary investigator of serious national and transnational crime, including terrorism, drug trafficking and people smuggling, the quality and quantity of intelligence coming into and out of the AFP has increased enormously in the past four years.

The funding will provide an important boost to the intelligence and surveillance capacities the AFP relies upon in performing its functions. The measures ensure Australia’s law enforcement agencies have appropriate tools and resources to carry out their role.

The AFP will also establish a single facility to manage the collection, monitoring, recording and evidence preparation of terrorism-related electronic surveillance material.

The centralised system, to be developed with the additional funding, will bring all electronic surveillance product together, allowing more timely information retrieval and exchange between the AFP and its law enforcement and national security partners.

Faster access to and dissemination of electronic surveillance results will contribute to ongoing efforts both to investigate and prevent serious crime, including terrorism.

The funding will also allow the development of new investigative tools and enhance the AFP’s ability to counter evasion techniques used by criminals. It will also allow the AFP to keep pace with technological advances.

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