AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw has today in Indonesia marked the 20th anniversary of the Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Cooperation (JCLEC) - the training nerve centre set up after the 2002 Bali Bombings.
The JCLEC has delivered more than 1800 counter terrorism, people smuggling and cyber awareness programs to more than 44,000 participants from 94 countries, with its success laying the foundation for a similar concept in Australia for Pacific Island police.
Commissioner Kershaw has also met with Police-General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, the chief of the Indonesian National Police (INP), before the crucial 12th AFP-INP Senior Officers Meeting (SOM).
The SOM outlines the criminal challenges faced by Australia and Indonesia, and helps coordinate joint strategies to counter lingering and emerging threats.
Commissioner Kershaw said JCLEC, which is a renowned international training institution co-directed by the AFP and INP, has been integral to keeping both countries, and the wider region, safe from a range of crimes.
"The Bali Bombings was an horrific tragedy that left psychological and physical scars on our citizens," Commissioner Kershaw said.
"During those dark days, the AFP and INP worked tirelessly together to bring those responsible to justice.
"When you work so closely together after such tragedy, you never go back to where things were.
"The legacy of that cooperation was the establishment of JCLEC and an unbreakable bond between the AFP and the INP that has only been strengthened over time."
Initially set up to boost specialist policing capability to counter terrorism in the region, JCLEC has broadened its scope to ensure courses target all emerging transnational serious organised crime threats in the South-East Asian region
However, the initial goal of JCLEC remains the same: enhance Indonesian and other law enforcement agencies to boost their investigative and management of multi-jurisdictional operations, which in turn provides crucial evidence and intelligence to help keep Australia and the region safe.
Since 2015, the AFP has delivered 33 programs on countering people smuggling, which has helped transform INP into an exceptional investigator of human trafficking ventures.
After one course last year, the INP and AFP worked closely together to arrest a high-value people smuggling target who was allegedly responsible for recent ventures to Australia.
Commissioner Kershaw said training female law enforcement officers had also been a key focus for JCLEC.
"JCLEC is well positioned to contribute to the enhancement of women in leadership roles and positions of influence within the South East Asian region to lead by example.
"JCLEC and its sponsors provides and actively supports opportunities through a variety of programmes and networks for women in law enforcement."
Commissioner Kershaw said the success of JCLEC had led to early conversations about how a similar concept could be rolled out in Australia for Pacific Island police.
