Key facts:

The focus of performance reporting in this chapter is on police services, covering the operations of the police agencies of each State and Territory government, including the ACT community policing function performed by the Australian Federal Police.

Real recurrent expenditure on policing services across Australia was approximately $11.6 billion (or $469.20 per person) in 2017-18.

Police agencies employed 74 330 staff in 2017-18 (277 operational and 24 non-operational staff per 100 000 people).

Police services aim to contribute to a safe and secure community that enables people to undertake their lawful pursuits confidently and safely. To achieve these aims, governments seek to provide police services that:

• are accessible, and responsive to community needs, including disaster and emergency management
• support the judicial process to bring to justice those people responsible for committing an offence
• provide safe custodial services
• are delivered with integrity, honesty and fairness
• promote safer behaviour on roads.