Stronger as one: Chris Dawson

Four decades in law enforcement has provided Chris Dawson, the CEO of the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) with a firm conviction. "By collaborating and amalgamating our unique resources, we’re in a much better position to assist in addressing Australia’s crime."

The amalgamation he is referring to was between the Australian Crime Commission, of which he had been CEO since 2014, and the CrimTrac Agency. The result saw the inception of the ACIC on 1 July, 2016. This new federal body acts as Australia’s national intelligence agency with a clear purpose: "To make Australia safer by connecting, discovering and understanding responses to crime," he says.

"The ACIC was formed not just to amalgamate agencies for efficiencies," he continues, "but to optimise and make sure we do the best to respond to criminals that are harming Australia. By joining the key law enforcement information with our enhanced analytics, we can provide the best possible intelligence to our partner agencies."

Cracking down on organised crime

Headquartered in Canberra, with offices in each of Australia’s capital cities and key international centres, ACIC’s core business is addressing the most serious organised crime that impacts Australia. 16 agencies are represented on its board, including police commissioners from all the national states and territories (8 in total), along with the Director-General of ASIO, the Commissioner of Taxation, the Commissioner of the Australian Border Force, the Chair of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, and the Secretary of the Attorney-General’s Department.

"Crime is no longer within borders, so we can no longer remain within our individual agencies and jurisdictions," he cautions. "We must be agile to the way crime is evolving. If we remain static, then the criminal fraternity will have an added advantage. We need to be able to look over the horizon and respond."

By offering a federated response, Chris says, "We have the opportunity to add value, and particularly criminal intelligence, to assist the more conventional crime responses within state and territory borders."

Transcending national borders

With an assessment that 70% of the most serious crime syndicates impacting Australia have international connections, harnessing an intelligence network that transcends national borders has never been more relevant. 

The ACIC works closely with what Chris refers to as the Five Eyes, a collective of law-enforcement agencies from five countries: Britain, New Zealand, Canada, the US and Australia. "But that’s not to say we don’t also have very strong relations with other international law-enforcement agencies. It is crucially important that we maintain very strong and trusted relations with our international partners." 

"If we remain static, then the criminal fraternity will have an added advantage. We need to be able to look over the horizon and respond." – Chris Dawson

Crime online

With a career that has taken him to some "challenging countries," Chris has witnessed many changes in the way criminals operate and the approach of law enforcement to combat it. He cites one such example: "When I first started working in the fraud area many years ago, it was based on ledgers and a fairly conventional way of managing finances," he recalls. "Now we rely on advanced analytical tools to follow the money."

He continues: "The criminals are forever adapting, so we now have high-end specialists that comb the dark nets within cyber, alternative banking systems, and virtual currency. 

"The last few years we’ve been on a taskforce that particularly focuses on the money facilitators. Many of them are offshore, international money launderers, in which Australian crime syndicates are trying to launder their money. By following the money trail, and working across our partner agencies, we have uncovered previously unknown crime syndicates and targets." The result speaks for itself. "Together with our partners, we’ve seized over $82 million in cash."

A safer Australia

Heavily reliant on technology, the importance of suppliers cannot be over emphasised. Chris acknowledges the value these private corporations bring to the public sector. 

"The ACIC has worked with external partners, such as Honeywell, to mitigate high-risk security threats. Honeywell is an important partner in strengthening our ability to make Australia safer.

"There has never been a more exciting time to be in law enforcement," he enthuses. "I’m Australian and have a family, so I often ask what sort of country do I want my children and grandchildren to grow up in?"

His answer? "A safer Australia that is better connected and as confident as it can be in responding to crime. The ACIC has the right vision and focus to do a job that is so important to do."