The Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, today announced fundamental changes to the ADF’s Service Police investigative capability. In releasing the audit report into the Australian Defence Force’s (ADF) investigative capability, Air Chief Marshal Houston said that the report recommends change in almost every aspect of Service policing.

“The report gives us an opportunity to re-shape policing in the ADF and transform it into a highly trained tri-Service capability able to investigate Service and criminal matters independently, impartially and to a standard that equals best practice civilian police and investigation standards. A particular feature of this new capability will be a joint ADF investigative agency, independent of Service chains of command, reporting directly to me, through the new Provost Marshal of the ADF. This capability will investigate more serious incidents with a Service connection and will fundamentally change the way policing in the ADF is organised and conducted. I am particularly pleased that Service police, who undertake challenging work in very difficult circumstances, will now have enhanced professional and personal development opportunities, and most importantly greater stability in their chosen field,” Air Chief Marshal Houston said.

The audit into the ADF Investigative Capability was commissioned by the Chief of the Defence Force in February 2006, as required by the Government response to the Senate Committee report on the effectiveness of Australia's military justice system. This report identified shortfalls in the performance of Service Police investigations. The audit team comprised RADM Brian Adams, a former Deputy Chief of Navy and Head of the Defence Personnel Executive and Mr Adrien Whiddett, a former head of the National Crime Authority and Deputy Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police (AFP).

The team was appointed to identify those measures required to provide the ADF with an effective and efficient investigative capability. This included building a better relationship between the military and civilian authorities on police investigations and related matters to improve Service Police effectiveness. The audit report also makes a number of practical recommendations for achieving best-practice policing in the ADF. All 99 recommendations from the audit report have been accepted and work continues on implementing these initiatives across Defence.