Commonwealth Police

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Commonwealth Police
Abbreviation	COMPOL
Agency overview
Formed	1–2 December 1917[1]
Superseding agency	Australian Federal Police (AFP)
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdiction	Australia
Legal jurisdiction	Australia
Governing body	Attorney-General's Department
Constituting instrument	War Precautions Act 1914 (repealed 1919–20)[a]  • Public Service Act 1902  • Peace Officers Act 1925
Operational structure
Elected officer responsible	See ministers, Attorney-General

The Commonwealth Police (COMPOL) was the federal law enforcement agency in Australia between 1917 and 1979. A federal police force was first established in 1917, and operated under different names and in some periods as multiple organisations. In late 1979, the Commonwealth Police and Australian Capital Territory Police were merged to form the Australian Federal Police (AFP).

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