Protective service officer (PSO)

Don’t be stuck behind a desk all day. Be a first responder to national threats. Help protect important places and people.

Join the AFP as a Protective service officer

As a protective service officer (PSO), you'll be a frontline defender.

You'll protect important people and key locations, like:

  • major airports
  • Parliament House in Canberra
  • Department of Defence sites across Australia
  • Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO).

 

Key benefits

Salary

Starts at $72,690 (extra in remote locations).

Superannuation

15.4% even during parental leave.

Locations

Australia-wide and overseas.

Entry pathway

Entry-level new recruits.

Basic eligibility

18 + Australian citizen, fit and active, driver’s licence, good character.

Leave, pay and benefits

What you’ll do

Your day-to-day work of keeping people and places safe makes a difference, drawing on your compassion and courage.

You could do things like:

  • patrol critical infrastructure by vehicle, bike or on foot
  • control access to critical sites
  • run surveillance and respond to alarms
  • engage with the community
  • provide static and mobile protection to our diplomatic community
  • respond to national security threats.

As your AFP career progresses, you can develop advanced skills, such as:

  • canine handling
  • drone operation
  • maritime operation
  • rapid appraisal of hazardous materials
  • short-barrelled rifle training
  • tactical response.

Join us

Get paid to train

Earn while you learn during 15 weeks of paid training.

Great conditions

A generous salary, allowances and 6 weeks of holidays.

Feel supported

Your own dedicated mentor for your first 6 months on the job.

Career progression

Advance your skills with extra training – go in so many directions.

You'll graduate with a Certificate IV in Protective Services. Use it as credit for extra studies to boost your career.

Apply now

There’s a lot of opportunity in this organisation if you take it with both hands and run with it."

Josh

Protective Service Officer Inspector

If anyone is interested in applying I 100% recommend it."

Allira

Protective Service Officer

Choose us

Job security

Ongoing, full-time employment with lots of perks.

Australia-wide

Capital cities, remote locations or overseas.

Feel welcome

We welcome Australian citizens from all walks of life.

Valuable skills

You’ll develop skills and be supported every step of the way.

Protecting some of Australia's most important sites gives me purpose every day. We have real variety in our work and the team I patrol with keep the work exciting."

Mohit

Protective Service Officer

An image of a Protective Service Officer

Want to know more?

Learn more about being a protective service officer (PSO).

Free information session coming up. Hear from our panel of PSOs and the Recruitment team.

Other sworn roles

Protective service officers protect people and places against security threats and criminal activity. But we have other roles for sworn officers.

Police officer - national

National police officers investigate and prevent crime to keep Australia, and Australia's interest safe. They also provide protective security at Australian airports. 

ACT police officer

ACT police officers serve the community and are the first point of contact for people who need help.

Get in touch

AFP Recruitment

Email us anytime.

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

We’re recruiting. Want to learn more?’

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