NSW Police Prosecutors About
Police Prosecutors are responsible for the prosecution of criminal proceedings, applications for apprehended
domestic violence orders and other associated application proceedings in the Local Court and Children’s Court of
NSW. Appeals filed in the District Court, Supreme Court
or Court of Criminal Appeal connected with prosecutions in the Local or Children’s Court are generally handled by the NSW DPP.
What kind of work?
Police prosecuters provide legal advice to all levels of
the NSW Police Office. Often this involves supporting major operations and serious crime investigations with
strategic legal advice. Units within the Police Prosecutions Command include: - Coroners Court
- Operational Legal Advice Unit - Covert Applications Unit
- Exewcutive Legal Supoport Unit - Prosecution Support Unit
Location
Across NSW
Graduate Opportunities
The NSW Police Force offers graduates a fast-tracked program to becoming a Police Prosecutor.
The pathway to becoming a Police Prosecutor is as follows:
1. Full time or Online study of the Associate Degree of Policing Practice to become a Police Officer
2. On the job training at a police station for 12 – 24 months 3. Completion of the Associate Degree in Police Practice 4. Transfer to Police Prosecutions, training for around 12 months
passing all classroom and practical instruction and assessments to achieve designation status as a Police Prosecutor.
5. Serve a minimum tenure of 3 years as a Prosecutor within the Metropolitan area.
You can find more information here:
https://www.police.nsw.gov.au/recruitment/the_career/ accelerated_prosecutors_recruitment_program
Fun Fact / Recent Project Duty of Disclosure
In 2018, Harley Bradley bit the finger of Katie O'Connor to the
bone. Bradley was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and a police prosecutor was appointed. The police
prosecutor refused to cooperate with the defendant's requests
for police information on O'Connor's criminal history. Under section 183 of the Criminal Procedure Act, when a defendant
indicates a plea of not guilty, the prosecution must provide a brief of evidence to the defence, which includes written
statements and copies of documents and exhibits that the prosecution intends to rely upon to support its case.
The Supreme Court held that the police prosecutor had
not met the duty required of her, and clarified that the duty of disclosure is not confined to DPP solicitors, but applies to investigating police officers and police prosecutors as well.
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