The Association is owned and controlled by its members. It is a registered industrial body under the Industrial Relations Act and has as its aims the protection of members wages, working conditions, the nature of their duties and the maintenance of policing in New South Wales.

The Police Association does not only have an industrial focus. This page will show you some of its other activities for, and on behalf of, its owners. Communication is often cited as an ongoing difficulty in most organisations and I hope that this website will better inform the reader of the value of being a member.

Fraternalism in difficult times is critical in policing. Our Association is based on fraternalism for, and on behalf of, police officers and their families not only in trying times, but also in better times.

Bob Pritchard
President

From a member
"I cannot stress enough the importance
of being a member of the Police
Association who have achieved
so much over the years
for all members past and present."

 R Danyluk
NSW Police News, November 2006

The Police Association of New South Wales (NSW) is a registered organisation under the Industrial Relations Act. As a trade union, it is affiliated with, and has representation to, the following organisations:

• Police Federation of Australia
• Unions NSW
• ACTU

Who can join
Membership is open to all sworn members of the NSW Police Service. The Association has over 15,000 members covering all police from the rank of Student Police Officer, Probationary Constable to Sergeant, Senior Sergeant and Commissioned Officers.

Association's aims
The aims of the Police Association of NSW are the protection of the interests of members in terms of wages, working conditions, the nature of the duties performed and the exclusion of non-police personnel from the performance of police duties.
Included in working conditions are such matters as workers compensation (referred to as 'Hurt on Duty' for police attested before 01.04.88), rights to promotion, the physical environment in which police work, and the maintenance of award conditions (e.g. overtime, travelling allowance etc.)
In addition, the Association aims to provide services and benefits to the membership and their families where welfare and assistance is appropriate or necessary.

Who controls the Association
The Association was formed in 1921 and consists of branches situated throughout metropolitan and country NSW. Each Branch has its own honorary Chairperson, Administrator and other officials. Branch meetings are held according to the wishes of the members from time to time in keeping with the rules. The branch exercises control of the Association through the Biennial Conference which is usually held in May.

Biennial conference
The Biennial Conference is the main policy making body of the Association. It is attended by the President, Vice President and Treasurer, as well as the elected executive and delegates from each Region. Delegates elected from the membership attend the conference to put forward the member's views and make decisions on policy matters.
During the course of the Biennial Conference, the President, Vice President, Treasurer and 14 Executive committee members are elected and hold office until the next Biennial Conference.

The Executive
The Executive members are elected from 11 geographic regions and the Commissioned Police Officers' Region and the Specialist / Non-LAC Region is guaranteed two Executive members, due to the totality of membership in that Region.

Full-time officials
The head of the Association is the President who is a serving police officer and who is occupied full time on Association activities during his/her period of office.
The Association also employs a number of full time officials in addition to office and industrial staff. They are the Secretary, three Assistant Secretaries - Legal, Organising and Industrial -  the Director of the Research & Resource Centre and the Manager of Administrative Services. These officials are responsible for the day-to-day business of the Association and for taking necessary action to implement decisions of the Biennial Conference and/or the Executive.

Where is it located?
The Association office is located at Level 4, 154 Elizabeth Street, Sydney. The phone number is (02) 9265 6777, Eaglenet 57160. The fax number is (02) 9265 6789. The e-mail address is info.centre@pansw.org.au and the website address is http://www.pansw.org.au  The Association office is open from 8.00am to 5.00pm daily.

How much does it cost?
The subscription payable to the Association by members is calculated at the rate of 1.25 per cent of the average annual salary of seven groupings of members:

• Constable levels 1-5,
• Senior Constable levels 1-6,
• Leading Senior Constable,
• Sergeant levels,
• Senior Sergeant,
• Commissioned officers.

Subscriptions to the Association are tax deductible. Members pay their subscriptions by deductions from their salaries each fortnight.

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In addition to overall benefits such as increases in pay and improvements in conditions gained by the Association, there are several other important benefits and services for members.

Legal assistance

By arrangement with our panel of solicitors, the Police Association can arrange for members to receive free initial advice on any legal matter and the provision of legal services by those solicitors at a reduced rate plus the full cost of any disbursements.

The Association has a financial legal assistance scheme which may provide legal assistance to members, dependents and associate members in accordance with the conditions of the scheme in proceedings:

(a) before any departmental inquiry tribunal, employees appeal tribunal or court,

(b) in seeking an advising (limited circumstances),

(c) in an inquest,

(d) in defence of any criminal proceedings,

(e) matters before the Anti Discrimination Board,

(f) appeals before the Industrial Relations Commission,

(g) other matters in the interests of the membership and in accordance with the objects of the Associations rules.

It is important that the Associations Legal Services division be contacted first regarding applications for legal assistance as the Association has the right to nominate the particular firm of solicitors in any matter attracting financial assistance from the Association.

Benefits for widows, nominees and dependent children
The Executive is empowered to make payments from the funds of the Association to widows or nominees and dependent children of deceased life and financial members as well as dependent children under 18 years following the death of an ordinary/life member's legal spouse as follows:

1.  The widow, widower or nominee of an ordinary/life member shall be paid $5,000.
2.  An amount of $10,000 is paid for each dependent child under the age of 18 years. It is administered at the discretion of the Executive whose decision is final and binding.
3. An ordinary/life member shall be paid $5,000 upon the death of the legal spouse.
4.  An ordinary/life member, upon the death of a dependent child under 18 years, shall receive funeral costs to a maximum of $3,000 on each occasion.
5.  Upon being advised of an Associate member's death, the Association shall provide a floral tribute or donation to a nominated charity.

Recognition of membership
A member who has retired upon completion of 20 years continuous membership, or who has been discharged medically unfit with less than 20 years service due to a work related infirmity, or in other circumstances deemed appropriate, shall be presented with a suitable gift invariably this is a watch.

Association sporting achievement awards
(i) An Association award in the form of a perpetual trophy is provided for annual presentation in each of the international sports, as recognised by the NSW Police Council of Sport, or as determined by the Executive.
(ii) All police representative sports teams or individuals competing as a representative of the NSW Police in internationally recognised sports and/or touring interstate or overseas, are provided, upon application, with an appropriate item of clothing identifying the Police Association of NSW.

(iii) Association sponsorship of a police sporting event to a limit of:

            Intrastate up to $200 in PANSW merchandise

            Interstate up to $500 in PANSW merchandise

            International up to $1,000 in PANSW merchandise

Police Association scholarships
The Association annually awards scholarships to members children to assist them to complete courses of tertiary education at university or College of Advanced Education. The scholarships are for upto three years and are awarded on the results of the Higher School Certificate: the achievement of a UAI of 75.00 or above.

Police Association awards
The Association donates prizes to various courses conducted at the Police College and external studies as follows:

(i)                 A trophy to the first place getter in each intake of the Constables Education Program,

(ii)               A trophy to the first place getter in each intake of the Constables Development Program,

(iii)             A trophy to the first place getter in each intake of the Advanced Diploma in Police management,

(iv)              A trophy to the first place getter in each intake of the Detectives Education Program,

(v)                To the winners of the Association awards in the Constables Education Program, Constables Development Program, Advanced Diploma in Police Management and Detectives Education Program, a commitment to grant a scholarship of $1,000 to be paid in equal amounts over the duration of an approved course.

NSW Police News
The New South Wales Police News is the official journal of the NSW Police Association. It is published monthly and posted free to each member. It contains news items, feature stories related to law enforcement and reports of the activities of the Executive.

Association merchandise
Members may purchase, at nominal cost, tie bars, tie pins, cuff links, ties, plaques, T-shirts, shirts, stubby holders and caps which feature the Association badge. Members are allowed to wear the tie bar/pin on duty. For more items visit the Police Shop.

Trade union training courses
Leave is available for Association members undertaking union business as well as attending training courses.
Training and development opportunities are provided to members and branch officials on a regional basis. These courses provide members with the skills and resources to deal with local issues at a local level.

Association members who are hospitalised
The Association provides television sets free of charge members, their legal spouse and dependent children who are hospitalised. This benefit does not extend to hire charges for pay TV services like Foxtel and Optus although electronic amusement devises or telephone connection fees may be included..
This service is also offered to Associate members. Branch officials or Associate members' families should contact the Association office with details.

Welfare assistance scheme
Financial members of the Association may receive financial assistance in the following circumstances:

• A member on sick leave who is not receiving any pay from NSW Police. The Executive at its discretion shall be empowered to make payments to compensate for loss of salary.
• An amount decided by the Executive to a financial member who is in extreme financial difficulty as a result of an accident, injury or illness to himself/herself or his/her dependents, or as a result of her confinement due to pregnancy, or who has suffered a loss of, or been deprived of the use of his/her home and/or personal effects in circumstances beyond his/her control and who is in need of immediate short term aid.
•  An amount decided by the Executive is paid to a member's dependents who are in extreme financial difficulty and who have suffered the loss of, or been deprived of the use of their home/personal effects through circumstances beyond their control and who are in need of immediate short term aid.

Free basic will service
As a financial ordinary member of the Police Association a free basic will service is available through our panel of solicitors. Should you wish to utilise this service, contact the Administrative Services division for a letter of introduction to our panel solicitors.

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Secretary

• Coordination of major issues across divisions which includes participating in negotiations, industrial/ media campaigns and legal challenges;
• Responsibility for ensuring the Association complies with the NSW Industrial Relations Act and the federal Industrial Relations Act;
•  Coordination of media response and representing the Association as spokesman;
• Represent the Association as delegate to the Labor Council of NSW, ACTU and Police Service consultative and evaluation committees;
• Attend branch and other Association meetings to deliver presentations on industrial and other issues.

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