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Indigenous Community Liaison Officer

Also known as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Liaison Officer, Aboriginal Community Constable, Aboriginal Community Liaison Officer, Aboriginal Community Police Officer, Police Aboriginal Liaison Officer, Police Liaison Officer, Community Constable and District Aboriginal Liaison Officer.

Indigenous community liaison officers liaise with Indigenous communities and the state or territory police forces in order to establish and maintain positive relationships.

Indigenous community liaison officers usually have limited police powers, although in certain circumstances they may assist police officers with law enforcement tasks such as arrest, search and detainment.

In Tasmania and WA, however, there is no separate Indigenous community liaison officer programme. Instead, fully sworn members of the police force perform this function specialising in the liaison role.

Indigenous community liaison officers are required to work shifts, including weekends and public holidays, and may serve in urban and remote communities.

TASKS

Indigenous community liaison officers may perform the following tasks:

establish good communication between police and local Indigenous communities
help work out disputes involving police and Indigenous communities
advise and educate police officers on cross-cultural awareness
advise police on potential crime and disorder areas and suggest ways to stop crime and misbehaviour
improve community knowledge about policing services and law and order issues
provide assistance to relatives visiting Indigenous prisoners
assist police and Indigenous persons and their families involved in the juvenile justice process
use appropriate police powers and prepare prosecution briefs

PERSONAL REQUIREMENTS

enjoy working with people
good communication and negotiation skills
of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent
of sound character
acceptable traffic/criminal record
medically and physically fit

Good Outlook for this career!

Interest Area

EDUCATION & TRAINING

Indigenous community liaison officers are known as Aboriginal community liaison officers in NSW.

You can work as an Aboriginal community liaison officer without formal qualifications, but employers usually require Year 10. Aboriginal community liaison officer positions are Indigenous-specific positions. You will undertake an on-the-job induction programme upon commencement of duty.

Additional Information

Positions for Aboriginal community liaison officers are generally advertised in the local papers, the Koori Mail and the National Indigenous Times. Applicants are short-listed and are interviewed by a police selection panel.

Young people and women are encouraged to apply.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

The demand for Aboriginal community liaison officers is dependent on the number of Indigenous people in the state or territory and the existence of police and community-funded initiatives.

Demand for Aboriginal community liaison officers has been increasing since the implementation of the Aboriginal Employment, Training and Career Development Strategy in 1995 by the NSW Police. This strategy aims to increase Aboriginal representation in the police force to two per cent.

In the ACT, the Australian Federal Police employ Indigenous community liaison officers.

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