Aboriginal police are not members of the Queensland Police Force. There is no career structure for Aboriginal police. There are no formal qualifications required for appointment as a member of the Aboriginal police. Indeed, it is not even a requirement that an applicant be able to read or write. There are no established requirements for appointment to the position.
Aboriginal police receive no formal police training.
Aboriginal police appointed and paid by an Aboriginal council are subject to the direction and control of any member of the Queensland Police Force, stationed or present on duty in their area at the time, in the discharge of their duties. This can lead to uncertainty at community level as to who has responsibility for the administration and superintendence of the Aboriginal police. As they are residents of a small community subject to kinship allegiances, they may have difficulty in policing members of that community. Allegations that they have acted favourably to members of their own family or relatives or have been improperly influenced by Aboriginal councillors in the carrying out of their duties are not uncommon. 29.7.25 None of these problems is new.