Police - Lateral Recruit Program Register of Interest

Closing Date:  30/06/2025
Location: 

Canberra, ACT, AU Perth, WA, AU Adelaide, SA, AU Melbourne, VIC, AU Sydney, NSW, AU Brisbane, QLD, AU

Band:  Broadband 2-5 (Policing) ($59,582.00 - $102,927.00)
Command/Portfolio: 

Job Details

 

JOB TITLE - Police - Lateral Recruit Program Register of Interest

LOCATION - Various Locations

AFP BAND & SALARY - Broadband 3.3 - 5.3 (Policing) ($78,221.00 - $107,559.00)

JOB REFERENCE NUMBER - 9606

CONTACT OFFICER - Sworn Recruitment, email: afprecruitment@afp.gov.au

 

Please note: this Recruitment process will be used to collect your interest in becoming a Skilled Police recruit. You will be contacted when we are running a skilled police program, and applications will be progressed based on the business needs at the time.

 

Register of Interest is now open

 

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) is seeking experienced operational police members to protect Australians by outsmarting serious, complex, international and organised crime. 

 

Did you know?

The mission of the Australian Federal Police is to provide dynamic and effective law enforcement to the people of Australia. It provides policing throughout Australia and internationally in relation to the prevention and detection of crimes against the Commonwealth, its laws and integrity, and community police services to the Community of the ACT.

 

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) is looking for the brightest minds to protect Australians by outsmarting serious, complex, international and organised crime.  In joining the AFP you will play a critical role in protecting Australia and Australians from serious crime.  As an inclusive organisation, the AFP provides opportunity for all Australians to fairly gain employment in the AFP.  We appreciate that everyone is unique and acknowledge that diversity in thought leads to greater transparency and improved consideration in our decision making.  To support our employees we also provide flexible work arrangements.

We break new ground every day and a career as a member of the AFP requires a diversity of skills and knowledge as well as an ability to combine innovation with policing to create intelligent action. 

 

What is the Skilled Police Recruit Program?

 

The AFP is seeking lateral police candidates to undertake the Federal Police Skilled Police Program (SPP) and be placed in various roles across Australia including:


1. ACT Community Police Officers - in this position, you can expect to complete 6 months of general duty operations before having the ability to transition into specialist investigation units in the ACT such as;

  • Criminal Investigations
  • Family Violence and Vulnerable people
  • Drugs and organised crime
  • Fraud
  • Intelligence
  • Communications and Judicial Operations

 

For more information about career opportunities within ACT Policing, please visit our website: ACT Policing 

 

2. National Airport Uniform Policing - in this role you will provide an operational response to a range of AFP operations, including protective security specific to airports around Australia.


3. National Investigations - in this role you will investigate and prevent crimes against the Commonwealth. This position is based in major capital cities around Australia and includes specialist areas such as;

  • Criminal investigations into serious and organised crime
  • Counter terrorism
  • People smuggling
  • Cyber crime
  • Surveillance & Covert
  • Fraud & Economic Crime
  • Police Driver Trainers
  • Intelligence

 

In joining the AFP, you will play a critical role in protecting Australia and Australians from serious crime.  We break new ground every day and a career as a member of the AFP requires a diversity of skills and knowledge as well as an ability to combine innovation with policing to create intelligent action. 

 

Our ideal candidate

Eligibility:

 

To be considered as an eligible Lateral candidate you must:

 

  • be an Australian Citizen.
  • have a minimum of three years operational policing experience in an Australian jurisdiction
  • have not been separated from your jurisdictional policing role for a period of more than five years
  • have strong skills/experience relevant to one/multiple of those listed above. Applicants that hold a Detective designation are highly regarded.
    hold a formal policing qualification such as a Diploma of Public Safety (Policing) or equivalent.
  • have a current driver's licence 
  • proof of a minimum of two COVID-19 vaccinations (or one dose if the Janssen vaccine was used) will be required if an offer of employment is made

 

Essential Requirements:

 

  • ability to obtain and maintain a Negative Vetting 1/Negative Vetting 2 security clearance.
  • hold a First Aid Certificate including CPR (valid for entire training period);
  • provide evidence of your ability to swim 100 metres freestyle non-stop and unaided
  • ability to maintain a satisfactory level of physical fitness and wellness - AFP Health and Fitness

 

What documents are required to apply?

 

Applicants must submit the following documents via our job’s portal upon applying for the Lateral program:

 

  • Resume/CV - This will form the basis for determining your suitability against the position requirements and give the panel a clear outline of your current knowledge and qualifications along with previous experiences. Please include your work history, responsibilities and achievements.
  • Proof of Australian Citizenship – Upload evidence of a valid Australian Passport or Birth Certificate.
  • Current Drivers Licence (front and back) – Include a photocopy of both the front and back of your Australian drivers’ licence. 
  • Education Certificates – Must include your Diploma of Policing Certificate or equivalent.
  • Proof of COVID-19 vaccination status – Evidence uploaded from your MyGov profile.

 

What is the recruitment process?

To be deemed suitable and provided an offer onto a Federal Police Lateral Program (FPLP), applicants are required to complete the following recruitment gateways

 

1. Initial application including eligibility documentation.

2. Employment Suitability Questionnaire (ESQ) and Traffic History assessment.

  • The ESQ is the tool in which applicants' character is assessed against the employment character standards of the AFP. All applicants who are not currently an AFP employee are required to complete the ESQ.
  • External applicants must upload a valid traffic history report (no more than 3 months old prior to the date of submitting this phase of your application) for the last 10 years, from all states and countries where they have held a licence.

3. Security Vetting Process and integrity check.

  • You will be required to have the ability to obtain a Negative Vetting 1 Security clearance. If you currently hold a NV1 clearance, you will be requested to complete a recognition pack.

4. Medical and Psychological Assessment

5. Interview

  • A panel interview will be conducted with local area commands dependant on the position you are interested in.

6. Pre-course documentation

  • This includes providing your First Aid and CPR, evidence of your ability to swim 100m and further police service history documents.

7. Merit Pool

  • You will remain in the merit pool until a position is available on the Federal Police Lateral Program

 

Once you have submitted your application, please continue to monitor your email address for updates and invitations from recruitment to complete the various recruitment stages. You may be contacted directly by business areas in relation to your application.

We also encourage you to register for the SMS notification option as this will ensure you will receive the latest updates to your application.

 

Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion

 

Diversity and inclusion is an operational priority for the Australian Federal Police (AFP). To be an effective police force, we must be reflective of the community we serve, working across languages, cultures and transnational borders. The 2023-26 Diversity & Inclusion Strategy is the guiding framework for delivering the AFP’s diversity and inclusion goals and reflecting our commitment to being an employer of choice, incorporating diversity and inclusion principles in day-to-day practice and building a psychologically and culturally safe workplace. This includes hiring people from diverse backgrounds who bring their lived experience to contribute, and add value, to the AFP. Find out more about how the AFP embraces diversity and inclusion.

As an inclusive organisation, the AFP provides opportunity for all Australians to fairly gain employment in the AFP.  We appreciate that everyone is unique and acknowledge that diversity in thought leads to greater transparency and improved consideration in our decision making.  To support our employees, we also provide flexible work arrangements. 

Providing a traffic history is mandatory. All applicants who are not currently an AFP employee must upload an up-to-date traffic history (no more than 3 months old prior to the date of submitting this phase of your application) for the last 10 years, from all states and countries where they have held a licence. More information on the required documents and how to obtain a traffic history(s) can be found on the traffic history page on the AFP careers webpage.

 

Remuneration Package

 

The AFP offers an attractive remuneration package, including salary, superannuation benefits and flexible working conditions appropriate to the level of the position. For further details, refer to the Enterprise Agreement.

Members will commence with the AFP at a rank of up to Leading Senior Constable based on previous police service. Members who successfully complete FPLP will be immediately deployed to roles based on organisational requirements (taking into account role and location preferences where possible).

 

Lateral Recruit - Further Information

To find out further information about Lateral Recruitment visit our website.

 

Apply online 

 

Applications must be submitted online through our Recruitment Portal.

 

Contact Information

 

All enquiries can be directed to the AFP Recruitment Team's email: afprecruitment@afp.gov.au