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Sleuth services merged
By Cpl Andrew Hetherington

Edition 1164, April 19, 2007
 
Handing over the keys: CO 1 MP Bn Lt-Col Murray Heron hands the keys of the 5 MP Coy (SIB) building to Col Tim Grutzner, ADF Provost Marshal and ADFIS Commander.
Photo by Cpl Andrew Hetherington
THE investigative knowledge and powers of the Army, Air Force and Navy have merged to form a new capability – the ADF Investigative Service (ADFIS).

The unit was officially launched on April 2 at the unit’s headquarters in Canberra. It comprises the investigative elements of the Naval Police Coxswains, Army Military Police and Air Force Security Police.

The Provost Marshal ADF, Col Tim Grutzner, said the new unit came about because of the 2006 Defence Investigative Capability Audit (DICA).

“There were 99 recommendations made in the audit and one of them was to form a joint investigations unit,” Col Grutzner said.

“The other 98 recommendations of the DICA report are about improving the process of investigations, so we will be able to do more investigations and respond quicker.

“Most importantly, we also will be fixing the training, the policy, the technology and the equipment the investigators utilise.”
He said the primary role of ADFIS would be to assist the CDF and the Service Chiefs to maintain ADF discipline through the lawful, ethical and effective investigation of Service offences.

“Only the more serious, complex and major incidents will come to ADFIS for investigation,” he said.

There are 142 personnel in the unit and they are based in 27 locations across Australia and overseas, working in joint investigation offices.

“The guidance at the moment from the CDF is that we form the unit from the current numbers of investigators, and after 12 months of operation we will review it and see if we need to change the structure,” Col Grutzner said.

He said another significant recommendation of the DICA report dealt with how investigators would gain intelligence to do their job.
“We are forming a dedicated police intelligence cell within the ADFIS headquarters in Canberra, which will look at the information we get to support investigations on the ground,” he said.

“This will also allow us to be able to cooperate with the state and federal police on issues that overlap between the Defence and civilian communities.”

The 2005 Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee report into the Military Justice System recommended the appointment of an ADF Provost Marshal.

“We have never had one before; we have had one for Army, Navy and Air Force, but have never had anyone at the strategic level focusing on policing across the ADF,” Col Grutzner said.

He said the formation of the unit would raise the professionalism of the ADF’s investigative capability.

“The outcomes will be a better response, more effective investigations and better service to commanders,” he said.