The Futures of Policing in Australia: 2021 and beyond

Abstract

This paper on the Future of Policing in Australia arises from the work of the first Australasian Policing Forum conducted over several sessions between March 2009 and March 2011 at the Australian Institute of Police Management (AIPM) in conjunction with Australian Research Council, Centre for Excellence in Policing and Security (ARC CEPS). The paper is written by participants from Victoria Police (Lucinda Nolan), South Australia Police (Michael Cornish and Linda Williams) and the Australian National University (Roderic Broadhurst), who came together to conjure some likely futures for Australia and their impact on police. Anticipating what the future might bring for police was the challenge addressed by this group. The report does not try to predict what Australia will be like in 2021 but rather proposed some possibilities based on how Australia’s social cohesion and economy might evolve. The group focused on the economy because changes and shocks in the economy were thought to be crucial in the challenges faced by police. The role of social cohesion (and social inclusion) was also seen as important because the fabric of the community is undergoing a transformation as Australian households become older, smaller, more mobile and less engaged in traditional or organised activities (e.g. such as church, sporting clubs and other groups). The report makes several suggestions and recommendations about how Australian policing forces could adapt to the likely changes to be faced in 2021 and beyond.

Keywords: police administration, future of crime, police futures