AFP boss reveals how officers are now being embedded in crime hots spots across Australia
After years of being dubbed the “plastics” for not doing real police work, new AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw says his top cops will outsmart serious, organised crims and hit them where it hurts as he shakes up the federal agency.
Behind the Scenes
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Exclusive: New Australian Federal Police boss Reece Kershaw has blown up the organisation’s “Canberra bubble” by ordering hundreds of officers to relocate interstate while at the same time dismantling his entire police executive.
The biggest overhaul in the agency’s 41-year history comes as Mr Kershaw vows to transform the AFP – dubbed the “plastics” for not doing real police work – into a respected crime-fighting unit.
Mr Kershaw told News Corp Australia his restructure – which includes removing the entire executive and either reshuffling or replacing his deputies and senior executive – is designed to refresh the force with experienced police officers.
He wants them to show creativity and innovation while they “go hunting for bad guys” in Australia or in overseas hideaways like Bangkok and Dubai.
The decentralisation program dubbed Project Horizon will see at least 100 police transferred out of Canberra to Sydney and between 40 and 70 relocated to Victoria, while some will go to other states including Queensland and Western Australia.
The moves include sending Assistant Commissioners and high-ranking commanders to boost state ranks and give more autonomy in NSW and Victoria, as well as recruiting new blood from state forces.
Mr Kershaw said the AFP is “muscling up and has hired some of Australia’s smartest people to find our targets and their money….”
“We are mobilising our international network to be more disruption focused. Our AFP personnel posted overseas are changing out of their suits and getting back into jeans and T-shirts … we are a police force and we are going hunting for those who try to rain misery on Australians…,” Mr Kershaw said.
“Not only are we outsmarting serious, organised criminals, we are hitting them where it hurts; their ill-gotten wealth. While they wait to be sentenced, the AFP is also using legislation to restrain and seize their homes, luxury cars and designer clothes.”
In the past 12 months the AFP has already seized a record $264 million in assets and proceeds of crime.
Troy Roberts, the AFP Association’s Media and Government Relations Manager, said they are supportive of some initiatives and many members are happy with the restructure of top ranks because the force has been seen as “top heavy”.
But Mr Roberts said there is a lack of communication about Project Horizon.
“The AFP put out expressions of interest emails to gauge the level of interest to move to either Sydney or Melbourne. Many members felt this meant their jobs were on the line in Canberra HQ,” Mr Roberts said.
“While the intention of the AFP is sometimes well placed, it repeatedly comes across negatively due to poor communication and interaction with the people that are most impacted by the changes, the workforce.”
Mr Kershaw, a career cop who rose through the ranks of the AFP, was appointed the Commissioner of NT Police in 2015, before returning as AFP Commissioner in 2019.
He is the first Commissioner to put such a big broom through the force and has already won widespread approval with his reforms.
Stung by a reputation in which the AFP were referred to by state cops as the “plastics” because they stayed in Canberra and most had never arrested a crook, the changes have been welcomed particularly among younger ranks.
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Mr Kershaw took over after a tumultuous time during which the force was plagued by a string of five tragic suicides in two years, numerous scandals and a shocking staff survey revealing nepotism, cronyism and lack of trust between the ranks were still big issues. The AFP had been widely criticised for raiding journalists after receiving complaints from the Federal Government including using an invalid warrant to raid the home of News Corp’s Annika Smethurst.
Professor of Policing at Western Sydney University, Dr Michael Kennedy, said there have been far too many managers in the AFP. He said bringing in state police is a long overdue change and “it is what everyone has been recommending for years.”
The executive ranks have seen a turnover of more than a dozen positions and the deputies positions cut from four to two.
A number of senior executives are also secondment to other federal agencies signalling for the first time the AFP’s intention to recognise wider experience, which has not been a common occurrence.
Originally published as AFP boss reveals how officers are now being embedded in crime hots spots across Australia