AFP Reserve | Australian Federal Police

AFP Reserve harnesses the skills, qualifications and experience of our former members. This includes sworn officers, specialists and corporate support staff.

Skilled reservists add capacity to our workforce. They're ready to be engaged at short notice.

Being in the AFP Reserve can help you transition from working full-time to retirement. You'll continue supporting our efforts to protect Australians and Australia’s interests from serious criminal threats.

If your application is successful, we'll add you to our Reserve talent pool. You may be asked to work on a casual short-term basis with one of our business areas. This frees up our employees to focus on higher-priority or more complex work.

Inclusion in the Reserve pool doesn’t guarantee you a role because casual employment placement depends on our needs and the skills required.

Continuing to serve

As a Reserve, I enjoy working flexibly around my other lifestyle choices – catching up with friends, Pilates and travelling."
Deidre Gray

What you'll do

In the AFP Reserve, you'll be ready to join us at short notice to help deliver results. You could perform a range of duties to support our efforts, including:

executive support – help the agency's executive team during times of leave
human resources – help various business areas with projects and administration
police station support – help administer the front office of ACT Policing stations while police respond to public enquiries
investigation support – including digitisation, investigation review, report preparation, evidence collation or brief preparation
training delivery and development – conduct training, assess workbooks or develop training programs (you may need extra qualifications for this role)
governance processes – help review and develop governance for business areas
mentoring and training new employees – mentor course participants and work alongside externally engaged course administrators
personal security vetting – help in vetting and updating changes
ceremonial and protocol officer (CAPO) duties – help at events and programs, such as funerals, National Police Remembrance Day and anniversaries (Reservists are sworn in for these duties only)
designated special events support – help us respond to national security architecture for major events.

Eligibility

You can apply for the AFP Reserve if you:

are a former permanent member of the AFP
worked with us for at least 3 years
left AFP within the past 10 years
hold or undergo a Negative Vetting 1 Security Clearance
pass our character and police checks.

The AFP Reserve isn’t a gateway to return to permanent employment with the AFP. You’re also ineligible to apply for internally advertised positions. If you want to join us as a permanent employee, apply for externally advertised vacancies.

Application process

We want eligible and committed former members to become reservists to help us stay ahead of serious crime.

Through the Reserve pool, we can make the most of the considerable operational and corporate knowledge, skills and qualifications of our former members.

Apply online
As part of your application, you need to:
- answer eligibility questions
- upload your résumé (CV).
Apply now for the AFP Reserve
We'll update you on the outcome of your application via email. Make sure you use a current email address and check our emails don't go to your junk mail folder.
Work history assessment
Your work history with the AFP will be assessed by:
- professional standards
- SHIELD
- performance management.
We'll notify you of the outcome of your assessment. You can't appeal this outcome.
Employment Suitability Questionnaire
If successful in your online application, you'll be asked to complete the Employment Suitability Questionnaire. We created questions for former members to help us understand your character.
We'll ask questions like whether you have:
- interacted with police about an offence, infringement notice or findings of guilt
- been a respondent to a court order
- any declarable associations
- a history of any illegal drug use
- a firearms licence.
Security assessment

You may need to complete a security clearance pack or a change of circumstances form. This depends on your personal security circumstances and the time since you last worked with us.
AFP Personal Security Vetting will provide you with the required documentation and support to complete it.
Offer of employment

If your application is successful, you'll receive an offer of employment and instrument of engagement through our Jobs portal.
After your onboarding, you’ll be placed in our AFP Reserve pool.
We’ll contact you if an opportunity comes up. Being added to the Reserve pool doesn’t guarantee you a role. Casual employment placement depends on our needs and the skills required.
Secondary work and volunteering

If you have secondary work or are volunteering outside of the AFP, read section 8.5 of the AFP national guideline on secondary work or volunteering.
You'll need to submit an application for secondary work or volunteering when you join the AFP Reserve pool.

Benefits and conditions

As a casual employee in AFP Reserve, you'll:

be paid the base salary hourly rate plus a casual loading of 20% for each hour worked
receive a salary variance each year in line with Part 2 of the Enterprise Agreement 2024-2027
receive a generous 15.4% superannuation.

Casual employees do not receive paid leave entitlements.

Apply now

Ben's story

Since joining the AFP Reserves Ben has worked across various areas of the AFP whilst still prioritising time with his family and pursuing his fitness goals.

Get in touch

AFP Reserve

Email us anytime.

Or call us Monday to Friday 8:30 am to 4 pm Canberra time.

+61 5126 8320

afp-reserve@afp.gov.au