Protective Service Officer recruit training
The AFP runs specific recruit training for Protective Service Officers. This is a 13 week live-in course at the AFP College in Canberra. Occasional weekend and evening work is required including exercises at the shooting range and night operational simulations.
Theoretical components deal with the law and the role of a Protective Service Officer. Practical components include firearms training, defensive tactics (batons and handcuffs), crowd control (batons and shields) and team building exercises. The practical components of the course are physically based.
During the training, applicants will be required to obtain (and then maintain) the essential qualifications, skills and competencies required for the role of a Protective Service Officer.
All components of the course are assessable. There are weekly theory tests and regular progressive review tests that assess your accumulated knowledge as the course progresses.
Many of the required skills and competencies have an inherent fitness element associated with meeting the performance standards. This means that for re-qualification purposes, officers are required to maintain a level of fitness appropriate to the skills and competencies of their particular station.
A person's performance in training and while on probation is closely monitored. Unsatisfactory performance may result in the termination of employment.