With over 60 presenters, the conference comes at a crucial time for police leaders to explore and implement the most impactful initiatives, tools, and research – ensuring personnel and resources are used to their fullest potential. PC25 will investigate key priorities facing police and how these will shape the workforce and community safety into the future.
The big picture: Drivers of change in policing.
As technology and society continue to evolve, so too do the methods, motivations, and complexity of criminal activity across Australia and New Zealand. The rise of cybercrime and digitally enabled offences has brought new challenges, with increasingly sophisticated attacks targeting individuals, businesses, and public institutions.
Policing the Darknet is a clear example of how our profession must adapt to evolving threats, ensuring that investigative capabilities keep pace with the criminal world in real time.”
Det A/Supt Jason Smith,
NSW Police Cybercrime Squad
At PC25, the New South Wales Police Force Cybercrime Squad will share the challenges and trends faced by law enforcement in identifying, targeting, and disrupting criminal networks operating Darknet markets. Detective A/Superintendent Jason Smith, who will be presenting at PC25, notes
“The Darknet continues to be a haven for serious criminal activity from illicit drug markets to child exploitation and cybercrime. As technology evolves, so do the methods offenders use to conceal their identities and operations. For policing to remain effective, we must understand these hidden environments and develop the tools, partnerships, and capabilities to investigate and disrupt them safely and lawfully.
Policing the Darknet is a clear example of how our profession must adapt to evolving threats, ensuring that investigative capabilities keep pace with the criminal world in real time. If we’re serious about policing for the future, we must collaborate across agencies and disciplines to maintain a strong, agile presence both in the physical world and in the hidden corners of the web.”
In response to these shifting threats, police jurisdictions are adapting their strategies and exploring new approaches to crime prevention and investigation.
Virtual kidnapping is an emerging crime type unknown to many members of the community and many police.”
A/Sergeant Nate Holdsworth,
Australia Capital Territory Policing
An emerging crime that is on the rise, virtual kidnapping, will also be explored. This case study presented by A/Sergeant Nate Holdsworth, Australia Capital Territory Policing, will delve into victim profiles, investigative challenges, and the development of strategies for prevention and public education. He says:
“Virtual kidnapping is an emerging crime type unknown to many members of the community and many police. It typically targets vulnerable, isolated persons from overseas and is carried out in a manner that avoids traditional detection and investigations means.
The value and harm caused to victims and their families is significant. There are broader crime and safety impacts to the international student and education sector which may cause economic and reputational consequences.”
Preventing violent extremism in a digital age.
The pathway to radicalisation often begins in online environments, where individuals, particularly young people, are exposed to extremist ideologies through social media, online forums, and encrypted messaging apps. In Australia, both far-right and religious extremism are growing concerns, driven by misinformation, identity-based grievances, and increasing social isolation. These influences can exploit vulnerable individuals, drawing them into ideologies that foster hatred and, in some cases, incite violence.
At PC25, Ema Blatancic from Victoria Police will present findings from one of their projects which examines the increasing prevalence of neurodiversity among individuals vulnerable to radicalisation.
Educating for Impact
Threat assessment dynamics
This PC25 session will cover Threat Assessment Dynamics (TAD), an evidence-based course designed to improve officer safety, decision-making and operational outcomes during weapon-related critical incidents. It is grounded in cutting-edge research on the neuroscience of human performance under stress.
Behind closed doors: A shared response to prevent family violence
Tasmania Police, in collaboration with the Small Steps 4 Hannah Foundation and the Department of Justice, has introduced specialised face-to-face workshops on coercive control training in collaboration. Delivered to approximately 2,500 participants so far, the program equips police and communities to disrupt family violence effectively, framing it as a collective societal responsibility.
This session will delve into the diverse vulnerabilities that contribute to radicalisation and violent extremism, while unpacking the complex challenges police face in managing this cohort. Ema will explore how understanding an individual’s needs, motivations, and capacity for meaningful engagement is essential in shaping effective responses and therapeutic interventions. She says:
“Neurodiversity is an emerging field characterised by distinct behaviours and traits that influence an individual’s engagement with the community. Understanding these traits provides important context to inform how police respond to previously unrecognised threats associated with violent extremism.
While neurodiversity is not causally linked to violent extremism, challenges can arise when neurodivergent individuals encounter extremist ideologies. Many extremist networks create hidden, self-radicalising systems that exploit these vulnerabilities. Police must remain agile and responsive, maintaining awareness of these trends to effectively tailor responses and manage risks within the community.”
Australia has also been witnessing a rise in hate crimes targeting ethnic and religious communities. Global conflicts, polarising political rhetoric, and social tensions have the potential to ignite local acts of hate. Combating these threats requires a comprehensive approach – one that includes education, early intervention, and stronger community engagement to foster resilience and inclusion. New South Wales Police Force will present on the outcomes of a strike force established in 2024 in response to a series of serious hate-related crimes targeting places of worship. Combining proactive policing strategies with specialist investigative responses, Strike Force Pearl led to the arrest and charging of dozens of offenders for a range of serious offences. The session will explore the operational lessons and strategies used to disrupt these crimes and reassure affected communities.
Changing community expectations.
Delegates from a past the ANZPAA Police Conference connecting
As society evolves, legislation must keep pace to ensure policing remains aligned with community expectations and values. However, legal frameworks often struggle to keep up with rapid advances in technology, particularly in areas such as digital evidence and surveillance tools, leading to gaps in regulation and oversight.
The PC25 session “Minimum Age of Criminal Responsibility in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT)” will explore how legislative reform can reshape police responsibilities. In 2025, the ACT became the first jurisdiction in Australia to raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility to 14. ACT Policing will examine the policy and operational challenges that emerged during this transition, including the staggered roll-out of support services and the shifting responsibilities of police.
People in policing.
The health and wellbeing of members is a fundamental priority for all police jurisdictions. PC25 will highlight the New Zealand Police Reintegration Programme, designed to support officers returning to duty after experiencing work-related traumatic events, such as officer-involved shootings, serious injury, or life-threatening incidents.
By investing in people (reintegration in this case), we future-proof policing through compassion, continuity, and a culture that prioritises wellbeing as a cornerstone of operational readiness.”
Inspector Freda Grace,
New Zealand Police
Its primary goal is to help staff regain confidence and resume operational duties safely, using a structured, individually paced process.
Inspector Freda Grace, New Zealand Police says:
“This program embodies what matters most: valuing the people on the frontlines. By investing in people (reintegration in this case), we future-proof policing through compassion, continuity, and a culture that prioritises wellbeing as a cornerstone of operational readiness.
In an environment where the resilience of frontline officers is increasingly tested, but needed, the Reintegration Program represents a vital shift toward trauma-informed policing. It acknowledges the human cost of critical incidents and ensures that those who protect the public are themselves protected and supported.”
The Australian Federal Police’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr Alison Money, will discuss how focusing on workplace culture, and the important relationship between supervisor and worker, supported by enabling services such as organisational health delivers a sustainable model for health and wellbeing improvement.
New generation of police.
Catherine De Bolle, Executive Director of Europol speaking at PC24
As Generation Z enters the workforce in growing numbers, they’re bringing fresh expectations around purpose, flexibility, wellbeing, and leadership.
This is a generation that values meaningful work, open communication, and development opportunities, and they’re not easily won over by traditional incentives alone. Award-winning journalist and storyteller Jehan Casinader will challenge police leaders to rethink how to attract, engage, and retain Gen Z talent. In his dynamic keynote session, Jehan will explore how storytelling can connect with younger recruits, and why understanding Gen Z’s mindset, from the rejection of hustle culture to the rise of psychological safety, is key to building the future police workforce.
Harnessing tech for good.
At PC25, a spotlight will be placed on Safe2Say, an innovative anonymous reporting platform developed by Crime Stoppers Western Australia in close collaboration with the Western Australia Police Force, academic experts, and industry partners. Designed with trauma-informed principles and two-way anonymous communication, Safe2Say has significantly enhanced the ability of police, particularly in sensitive investigative units, to safely and effectively engage with victim-survivors.
This [Safe2Say] allows us to go back to the users and ask those questions as follow-up questions… that could solve a serious child abuse matter and rescue a victim from harm.”
Det Supt Hamish McKenzie,
WA Police Force Sex Crime Division
Since its launch, the platform has empowered many individuals to report abuse in their own time and on their own terms, often making disclosures for the first time.
Detective Superintendent Hamish McKenzie, Western Australia Police Force Sex Crime Division, emphasises Safe2Say’s investigative value, aligning it explicitly with Royal Commission recommendations:
“This allows us to go back to the users and ask those questions as follow-up questions… that could solve a serious child abuse matter and rescue a victim from harm.”
In addition, PC25 will also explore the role of emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and Predictive Analytics in policing. Assistant Commissioner Simon Watkins from South Australia Police will examine how these tools are being used to monitor officer behaviour, identify early warning signs of misconduct, and support ethical, data-driven approaches to discipline, and how it can address the challenges of bias and transparency in automated systems.
As policing continues to evolve, defining “what matters most” will require courage and collaboration. It means balancing complex priorities – supporting frontline officers under pressure, building safer and more inclusive communities, strengthening systems for victim-survivors, and prioritising wellbeing and respect. It also means embracing innovation, science, and technology to meet growing community expectations with agility and integrity. The ANZPAA Police Conference 2025 offers a vital space for leaders to reflect, reimagine, and recommit to the future of policing – one shaped by purpose, guided by evidence, and anchored in the values that matter most.
Find out more at www.anzpaaconference.com.au
