ABSTRACT
Australian policing is characterized by the six states and two territory police agencies which make up the Commonwealth of Australia. In addition to state policing, the Australian Federal Police has responsibility for policing a range of national crime types, border control and international liaison. The New South Wales Police Force (NSWPF) is the largest police force of the six states, with a population of approximately 7.3 million people and a police force of over 16,000 members. 1 Charles Sturt University (CSU) is a large regional university within New South Wales (NSW) with over 45,000 students, two-thirds of whom are enrolled in study by distance education. Currently, one in seven CSU students are studying programs in policing/law enforcement. This chapter provides an overview of the police recruit education and training program in NSW, which is jointly developed and delivered in partnership by the NSWPF and CSU. This collaborative arrangement is discussed, highlighting the strengths and challenges facing partnerships between police and tertiary providers, who strive to suitably prepare new police officers for contemporary policing roles.
