is Australia's oldest and largest police organisation and one of the biggest in the English speaking world
has a large and diverse workforce.
serves a population of seven million in the state of New South Wales, an 801,600 square kilometre area comparable in size to Texas in the USA and double the combined geographic areas of England, Scotland and Wales
operates on land, sea and from the air
provides community based policing from more than 500 police stations to a wide range of ethnic communities speaking more than 30 languages
is a non profit statutory authority funded by the NSW Government.
We aim to protect the community and property by
preventing, detecting and investigating crime
monitoring and promoting road safety
maintaining social order
performing and coordinating emergency and rescue operations.
Our other major services include
traffic control
communications
intelligence analysis
anti-terrorist negotiation
Our history
in August 1789, Governor Arthur Phillip established the first civilian police force in Australia the NSW Police Force was established by the Police Regulation Act 1862, which was replaced by the Police Regulation Act 1899.
in June 1987, the NSW Police Force (operations) and the NSW Police Department (policy and administrative support) were amalgamated and formalised by the Police Act 1990 No. 47, which, as amended, is the legislation governing the organisation.