WA Police case study – identity checks How we helped WA Police get officers back on the front line Australia Post’s identity services, data capturing technology and network of retail outlets in WA have made applying for a national police clearance certificate simpler for customers and it’s helped Western Australia Police put more police back on the streets. Background Customer: Western Australia Police (WA Police) Western Australia Police is responsible for policing the largest Website: www.police.wa.gov.au single police jurisdiction in the world, an area covering 2.5 million square kilometres with a structure comprising Industry: State government three regions, 14 districts and 163 police stations. Challenge: The challenge • Reduce internal administration pressures. WA Police undertook an initiative that had a primary focus on • Improve service levels when processing applications returning more police officers to the street, rather than wasting for national police clearance certificates (NPCs). valuable policing resources on administrative duties. Solution: Australia Post’s extensive retail network, 100-point One of the key objectives of this internal program, called identity check and online form data capture technology. “Frontline First”, was to source a more effective way to process the fluctuating demand for national police certificate (NPC) Results: applications, while still providing the best possible service to • NPC identity check service offered at 334 Australia Post WA citizens. retail outlets in WA. WA Police, in partnership with CrimTrac, undertake the national • Excellent response times for customers: “Initial clear” criminal history record check component of NPC applications. These certificates detail a person’s disclosable criminal and traffic NPC certificates delivered in only three to five days. conviction record and can be used by employers and licensing • Less administration means more police are freed up bodies for screening purposes. to perform other tasks. The strategy • Scalable, flexible solution allows for unique state based As part of their commitment to relieve the administrative / police jurisdiction requirements and it can also be pressures placed on their police force, WA Police set out to find adapted for other police record check applications. a trusted business partner with a physical presence across all of Western Australia to assist them in processing NPC applications. WA Police case study, January 2013 WA Police case study – identity checks The solution Trained Australia Post staff members are experienced in dealing with similar types of confidential transactions. The WA Police approached Australia Post to work collaboratively tracking of applications provides an audit trail and assists with them and CrimTrac to establish the requirements for with responsiveness to customer enquiries. Australia Post’s NPC applications. robust and secure IT infrastructure provides high availability and redundancy. As part of Australia Post’s solution, NPC applications were made available through 334 electronically enabled Australia Post The Australia Post solution is also scalable for growth, with a retail outlets across WA. national approach that allows for unique state based / police jurisdiction requirements. It can be easily adapted for the The implementation acceptance of different types of police record check applications. Applicants can lodge their forms in person at their local Australia WA citizens have convenient access to Australia Post’s extensive Post retail outlet. A staff member performs a 100-point identity network of retail outlets, manned by trained and professional check to verify their identity documents, but at no point during staff. The solution delivers excellent response time for applicants the application process does Australia Post have any access to – the end-to-end process takes approximately three to five the applicant’s criminal history. days for applications that fall within the “Initial Clear” category. Applicants can access Australia Post’s dedicated call centre team In accordance with WA Police requirements, if 100 points of for customer enquiries. identity cannot be provided, then the applicant is referred to the WA Police enquiry line. Utilising Australia Post has reduced transaction processing effort and the consolidated financial settlement simplifies financial All NPC applications are delivered to Australia Post’s imaging and accounting processes. data capture processing centre, where they are scanned as an image. The applicant’s form data is captured and electronically Most importantly, it eases the administrative burden on transmitted directly to CrimTrac. WA police officers, enabling greater numbers to be deployed to front-line work. CrimTrac then washes applicant data against the Criminal History Database to provide an immediate response to Australia Post for each application as either “Initial Clear” or “Potential Match”. For all “Initial Clear” applications, Australia Post prints the NPC certificate on security paper and mails it directly to the applicant. “Our partnership with Australia “Potential Match” applications are referred to WA Police for further investigation. WA Police subsequently forwards Post has allowed WA Police to take electronically cleared applications to Australia Post for advantage of existing Australia Post certificate printing and distribution. infrastructure and experience with The results proof-of-identity services which, According to John Purcell, Assistant Director for the Office in turn, is enabling WA Police to of Information Management, Western Australia Police, “Our partnership with Australia Post has allowed WA Police have a greater focus on local to take advantage of existing Australia Post infrastructure policing priorities.” and experience with proof-of-identity services which, in turn, is enabling WA Police to have a greater focus on local policing priorities.” For more information on how Australia Post can find the right solution for your organisation, please contact your Australia Post Account Manager or call 13 11 18. This case study is based on information provided by Western Australia Police and illustrates how one organisation works with Australia Post. Many factors contributed to the results and benefits described. Australia Post does not guarantee comparable results elsewhere. © 2013 Australia Post