CrimTrac is an Australian Government agency, established on 1 July 2000 to develop the technology required to give police ready access to information needed to solve crimes. Our primary role is to provide national information sharing solutions to support the effective operation of police services and law enforcement agencies across state and territory borders. We broker a wide variety of information to assist investigations by law enforcement agencies and are responsible for finding emerging information technologies and opportunities to enhance information sharing.
CrimTrac will take a leadership role in generating national approaches to information sharing solutions for law enforcement agencies, for a safer Australia.
Our mission is to contribute to enhanced community safety by delivering and maintaining high-quality, timely and cost-effective:
CrimTrac assists Australian police services to take advantage of opportunities opened up by forensic science, information technology and communications advances.
The agency also supports policing through providing information and investigative tools to:
CrimTrac’s Inter-Governmental Agreement required us to deliver four key systems to improve information sharing for police:
In coming years, we will continue to maintain and enhance these founding information capabilities. As well as consolidating and upgrading these systems, the agency is working with jurisdictions to assess opportunities for improving the national infrastructure that we now have.
The agency's fifth key area of work involves providing national police record checking services to accredited agencies to assist in pre-employment probity checking.
List of Accredited Agencies (Doc - 38KB)
CrimTrac was established as an Executive Agency under the Commonwealth Public Service Act in the Attorney-General's portfolio. As agency head the Chief Executive Officer reports to the Federal Minister for Home Affairs, and the agency must comply with all Commonwealth legislative, financial and administrative arrangements.
The Inter-Governmental Agreement signed by all Australian police ministers, underpins the agency. The Ministerial Council for Police and Emergency Management - Police (formally known as the Australasian Police Ministers' Council) defines the agency's strategic directions and key policies, sets initiatives and appoints CrimTrac Board of Management members, who are responsible for overall agency management. The Chief Executive Officer also reports to the board on the programs and performance. Our Annual Reports and Charter of Governance have more information.
In 2008, CrimTrac was invited to join the Heads of Commonwealth Operational Law Enforcement Agencies (HOCOLEA) forum. HOCOLEA agencies administer and enforce Commonwealth legislation which seeks to regulate behaviour. The Acts of Parliament contain a range of enforcement sanctions including prosecution for criminal offences, the conduct of civil proceedings, the imposition of administrative sanctions and oter remedies.
The Australian New Zealand Policing Advisory Agency (ANZPAA) provides policing policy and strategic advice, undertakes research, provides knowledge management services, and facilitates information sharing around policing policy to Police Ministers and Commissioners throughout Australia and New Zealand.Through CrimTrac’s leadership role in generating national approaches to information sharing solutions for law enforcement, CrimTrac and ANZPAA engage on matters involving the management and exchange of policing information to ensure that benefits for law enforcement are realised. The CEO of CrimTrac attends ANZPAA Board meetings as an observer and CrimTrac is a member of ANZPAA’s Liaison Forum together with representatives of police jurisdictions and other government agencies, ensuring consistency in the program of work being undertaken in this field. For more information on ANZPAA visit anzpaa.org.au.