Partner Agencies
The CDPP relies on investigative agencies to investigate offences and prepare briefs of evidence to support prosecutions. We also support agencies to meet their enforcement and compliance strategy objectives. The CDPP provides a range of services for partner agencies including pre-brief engagement and advice, support with building briefs, brief assessments, prosecution reviews, secondments, liaison, training and specialist conferences.
We work with around 50 Commonwealth partner agencies, as well as state and territory police.
CDPP Partner Agency Portal
The Partner Agency Portal provides resources to our referring agencies:
- Guidelines for dealings between investigators and the CDPP
- E-Brief referral guidelines
- Assistance with disclosure
- Information on mutual assistance and extradition
- Offence guides, including element analyses and draft charges
- Relevant CDPP news
If you are a Commonwealth investigator (or state or territory investigator with a role in the Commonwealth law enforcement process) you can request access to the Partner Agency Portal.
Pre-Brief Advice
The CDPP recognises that providing pre-brief advice to investigative agencies is mutually beneficial.
As agreed by the investigation agency and the CDPP, as resources permit for both agencies, the CDPP can provide pre-brief advice to investigation agencies before a brief of evidence is formally provided to the CDPP or before charges are laid in:
- matters which are significant, complex or major;
- sensitive matters;
- matters of particular importance for the investigative agency’s enforcement strategy; or
- matters that are likely to have an impact on a broader class of cases.
Investigators can find out more information about pre-brief advice on the Partner Agency Portal.
Brief Assessment
The CDPP receives electronic briefs of evidence through a Referrals Gateway. There is a required format and other minimum standards for e-Briefs and some partner agencies have worked with the CDPP to develop a customised e-Brief template.
The CDPP can assess a full brief of evidence where there are no risk factors that would require a potential defendant’s arrest. A CDPP prosecutor will assess the full brief of evidence in line with the Prosecution Policy of the Commonwealth and determine the best charge/s to be laid and issues with the evidence.
Investigators can find out more information about building briefs and brief assessment on the Partner Agency Portal.
Liaising with Partner Agencies
The CDPP works hard to maintain effective working relationships with our partner agencies. Aside from operational contact between the case officer and investigator, the CDPP and partner agencies settle on national and regional liaison contact.
The CDPP has developed Guidelines for Dealings between Investigative Agencies and the CDPP. The CDPP can also enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with an agency where there are agency-specific issues or arrangements required.
The CDPP provides various statistical reports to partner agencies to assist with their enforcement action.