Commissioned Police Officer

A commissioned police officer holds formal rank within a state or federal police service and commands operational police units, supervises frontline officers, and makes decisions about law enforcement strategy and resource allocation. They balance compliance with police legislation (including state Police Acts and the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission framework), manage performance and discipline of subordinate staff, and ensure field operations align with investigative standards and public safety objectives.

Supervise uniformed and plainclothes officers assigned to a station, district, or operational unit, including task allocation, performance review, and conduct management. Authorise and oversee criminal investigations, including approval of surveillance operations, search warrants, and interview procedures under relevant state evidence legislation. Review incident reports and complaints from the public or subordinate officers, determining whether conduct breaches police code of conduct or requires referral to internal oversight bodies. Plan and deploy resources for major events, large-scale operations, or emergency responses, including mutual aid coordination with other agencies. Approve or deny applications for procedural warrants (search, arrest, listening device) in consultation with legal advisors, ensuring compliance with state criminal procedure codes. Conduct performance appraisals and capability reviews of subordinate officers, documenting adherence to operational standards and professional conduct. Brief senior command on operational outcomes, crime statistics, and resource requirements using data from police information systems. Investigate or oversee investigation of serious complaints against officers, including taking statements and determining whether referral to the ombudsman or integrity commission is necessary.

The standard entry pathway requires a bachelor degree or higher (ABS Skill Level 1). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.

You'll spend more time managing complaints, paperwork and staff disputes than doing actual police work. Career changers often find the bureaucracy heavy: every decision gets scrutinised by oversight bodies, and you're liable if your officers breach conduct codes. The emotional toll of investigating officer misconduct and managing difficult personnel decisions can wear you down.

In practice, most positions are in major metro areas where police services are larger. Regional areas have fewer commissioned ranks, so opportunities are limited outside cities. All positions are based in a physical station or district office: remote work isn't an option in policing.

Published for ANZSCO unit group 1391, the wider group this job sits in, not for this job on its own.

This is the median for full-time employees who are not managers and are paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrifice. It is a guide to what the work pays, not a wage rate.

Source: ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.

• Active Listeningcore
• Confidentiality and Privacy Compliancecore
• Conflict De-escalationcore
• Conflict Resolutioncore
• Empathy and Emotional Intelligencecore
• Incident Reportingcore
• Policy and Procedure Adherencecore
• Problem Solvingcore
• Regulatory and Legislative Awarenesscore
• Report Writingcore
• Risk Identificationcore
• Stakeholder Communicationcore
• Trauma-Informed Communicationcore
• Verbal Communicationcore
• Written Communicationcore
• Attention to Detail
• Case Note Documentation
• Cultural Awareness and Sensitivity
• Escalation Management
• Negotiation
• Record Management
• Research and Analysis
• Workload Self-Management

• ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
• ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
• ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.

Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.

Where our numbers come from.

What Commissioned Police Officer workers move into, from ten years of tax records.

Last updated: 30 October 2026