When Executive Director Policing Information and Checking Services, Jeremy Johnson, looks back over the past decade of the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC), it’s not a single moment that stands out – it’s the steady evolution of an organisation that has grown, adapted and found its place.
Having played a key role in leading the merge of CrimTrac and the Australian Crime Commission (ACC) to form the ACIC, he has seen first-hand how much our agency has matured.
“I was asked to lead the transition on the CrimTrac side, and worked closely with my ACC counterpart, as well as the ACC and CrimTrac chief executives, Chris Dawson and Nicole Rose. I helped guide the early development of the ACIC during its establishment phase,” Jeremy said.
The focus of the merge was to bring the two organisations together to strengthen Australia’s response to serious and organised criminals who were exploiting emerging opportunities and perceived gaps in law enforcement information sharing and access. Simple in theory, but more complex to deliver.
CrimTrac focused on delivering national systems and information services to support police, with its impact largely realised externally through those partners. In contrast, the ACC was an operational agency targeting serious and organised crime, using intelligence and coercive powers to drive outcomes. The establishment of the ACIC brought these roles into a single agency.
“The organisations were complementary rather than duplicative,” Jeremy said.
There were practical challenges to work through, from changing office locations and bringing staff under a single Enterprise Agreement, to developing new ways of working. At the same time, there was a broader responsibility to ensure continuity and stability while building something new – a new agency providing essential policing information and national criminal intelligence, along with investigative functions.
Looking back, it was a period defined by opportunity. The vision: A safer Australia that is better connected, informed and capable of responding to crime and criminal justice issues.
One of the biggest early challenges was building a shared culture. As Jeremy reflects, there was initially a sense of ‘us and them’, with staff coming from different organisations, each bringing their own ways of working and expectations.
Over time, those diverse backgrounds became a strength. As people began working more closely together, the focus shifted from where individuals came from to what they were building together.
“Culture doesn’t change overnight, but over time, people stopped focusing on where they came from and started identifying as part of the ACIC.”
Today, that shared identity is firmly established – something Jeremy sees as one of the most significant achievements of the past ten years.
Rather than a single turning point, Jeremy reflects on the series of changes that have shaped the organisation. Different leaders have brought different perspectives. Structural changes have helped refine how the organisation operates. Legislative reform has also played a key role in defining the ACIC’s functions and authority.
“Each step has taken us closer to where we are now. With a gradual shift away from a law enforcement model, towards a clearer criminal intelligence role – we still provide critical intelligence to our law enforcement partners, but the range of partners requiring our criminal intelligence insights and advice is expanding,” Jeremy said.
Together, these changes have positioned the ACIC as a more mature and capable organisation. As the agency marks its tenth anniversary, the ACIC’s role as a national criminal intelligence agency is now better defined. Its place within the National Intelligence Community and broader national security and law enforcement arrangements, continues to strengthen and its contribution and service to partners remains central.
“We’re in a strong position, and there’s still more to do.”
The past ten years have been about building and evolving. The next ten will be about continuing that momentum – strengthening the ACIC’s ability to provide unique, actionable and insightful intelligence that helps protect Australia from serious and organised crime.