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AFP badges and insignia

Our uniforms and badges reflect our unique mission and approach to policing
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Over the decades, our badges and insignia have changed to reflect the work we do.

We employee:

  • sworn police officers and specialists
  • sworn protective service officers
  • unsworn professional staff who support the organisation.

Our sworn staff wear a uniform with badges and patches that identify their rank and role.

For example, our police officers wear a check band on their hats. And protective service officers have the words ‘Protective Service Officer’ added to their uniform.

Here's how you can identify AFP employees, buildings and vehicles.

AFP badge

The AFP badge is our main symbol. It's what identifies an AFP employee.

The Australian Federal Police Act 1979 (Cth) prohibits unlawful use of our badge.

You'll see the badge on our uniforms, buildings and vehicles. We wear a version of this badge on our hats, and it's shown on the official ID in an officer's wallet.

A more colourful AFP ceremonial badge adorns the shoulder patch of our uniforms.

The AFP ceremonial badge on a navy jacket
The AFP dress uniform with ceremonial badge

The AFP badge has a similar style to the badges of other Australian law enforcement agencies. Each element has a meaning unique to the AFP as Australia's national policing agency.

There are 5 elements in the AFP badge:

The Crown is common to all Commonwealth police or military badges. It represents the monarch as Head of the Commonwealth.

The Commonwealth Star is a symbol of the Federation of Australia. It's a 7-pointed star, representing the 6 states and the territories. It's the same star you see on the Australian flag and the Australian Coat of Arms.

The wreath represents victory. This symbolism comes from the Roman Empire, where the contest winner was awarded a wreath. On the AFP ceremonial badge, on patches and the AFP flag, the wreath is green. Everywhere else, it's a grey wreath with stylised leaves.

The Commonwealth Coat of Arms is the formal symbol of the Commonwealth of Australia. It represents the Commonwealth's authority and AFP's position as Australia's national policing agency.

The words AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE are placed in an arc around the Commonwealth Coat of Arms, on a blue disc and ribbon.

AFP rank insignia

Awarding a rank to a police officer acknowledges their responsibility and achievement. Some AFP ranks also reflect an employee's ability to apply certain legislated powers.

You can identify the seniority and experience of each sworn officer by the rank insignia on their uniform.

The way we wear rank insignia follows Commonwealth military and police tradition. This means that rank is shown with badges on the uniform's:

  • shoulder
  • sleeve
  • chest.

The insignia are normally either silver metal or woven in white on black.

AFP Insignia shoulder badge with a crown and three white chevrons pointing down

 

There are 4 elements of the AFP rank insignia. The number and order of these elements indicate seniority.

Chevron

The chevron first came from medieval heraldry. Also known as a ‘stripe’, the military and police use a chevron to show non-commissioned rank. In the AFP, we use up to 3 chevrons, sometimes with a bar or crown and wreath, to indicate ranks below Inspector.

Bath Star

Also known as a ‘star’ or ‘pip’, this element comes from the insignia of the Knight Grand Cross of the Military Division of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath. AFP police and protective service officers of the rank of Inspector or above wear the Bath Star. An Inspector wears 3 in a line. More senior ranks may wear up to 3 with a crown.

Crown

This is the same crown as in the AFP badge. Used on its own, the crown indicates a Superintendent. It's seen with Bath Stars or tipstaffs and a laurel wreath for more senior ranks.

Crossed tipstaffs and laurel wreath

The tipstaff was a club carried by the most senior medieval law enforcement officers. Later, early police wore the tipstaff as a symbol of their office and authority. Our most senior officers continue this tradition, wearing a badge with 2 crossed tipstaffs within a wreath.

As well as rank insignia, senior officers usually wear distinguishing marks:

  • black or silver raised bands or silver oak leaves on the peaks of their caps
  • gorget (throat) patches on the collars of their shirts and tunics.

AFP flag

The AFP flag flies over buildings where our staff work. The Australian National Flag, the Australian Aboriginal Flag and Torres Strait Islander Flag are often flying beside it.

Rectangle split into 3 vertical sections with a central image of a disc with an Australian crest and the words 'Australian Federal Police', on a 7-pointed silver star with a crown on top, on a green circular wreath
Flag of the Australian Federal Police

The AFP flag has 3 parts, with the outer vertical thirds coloured black, and the centre vertical third white. The AFP ceremonial badge is in the centre of the flag. Around the edge is a narrow black-and-white check pattern. It's the same pattern you might see on our cars.

AFP emblem

Our emblem is a platypus: a unique and tenacious Australian animal that can very capably defend itself.

The platypus represents the way we operate to keep Australia safe.

A platypus can:

  • pass by unnoticed
  • defend its territory against larger and more powerful opponents
  • seek out what it needs to survive
  • adapt to change.

The word 'platypus' is Latin for 'flat foot'. Flat foot is also an old English term for police officers, who were always on their feet. We've used the platypus as a symbol for decades. The first AFP water boat was named The Platypus.

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