The ANZPAA Police Conference 2025 (PC25) brought together leaders, practitioners and thinkers from across Australia, New Zealand and beyond to interrogate a core question: What matters most?

Over two days, speakers explored the pressures and possibilities shaping modern policing, distilling complex challenges into clear priorities for the road ahead. 

The accelerating impact of AI, the urgent need to strengthen officer resilience and wellbeing, and a candid Commissioners Panel on leading through uncertainty set the tone for a sector in rapid transition. Throughout the program, case studies of best practice grounded the conversation in what works: agile, evidence-informed, community-focused and collaborative policing capable of meeting complexity with confidence. As the program unfolded, one theme quickly emerged as both a catalyst and a disruptor: the accelerating possibilities of AI.

Digital Transformation and Innovation

Discussion on digital transformation reflected both the opportunities of modern technology and the organisational challenges that accompany it. Speakers highlighted that meaningful transformation demands collaboration, disciplined implementation and a workforce with the skills to adapt.

The digital transformation panel emphasised the necessity of partnership-driven design. Speakers underscored that modernisation cannot occur in silos; it depends on collaboration across jurisdictions and with technology partners. Co-design, multidisciplinary teams and early engagement with vendors and community stakeholders were presented as hallmarks of successful delivery. Queensland Police Service’s Laura Poidevin captured the sentiment: “There isn't one solution that's going to solve all of our problems. And it is about how we absolutely partner and work through and make those connections.”

A keynote from Professor Paul Taylor (National Police Chiefs’ Council, UK) and Chief Constable Jeremy Vaughan KPM (South Wales Police) highlighted the transformative potential of structured, evidence-informed innovation in policing. They showcased how science and technology projects across England and Wales have delivered significant efficiencies and cost savings, and Professor Taylor emphasised that wider national adoption could multiply these benefits. The keynote underscored the importance of robust evaluation, knowledge sharing and sustained investment to maximise the impact of innovative practices.

These discussions highlighted that digital transformation is not defined by tools themselves but by the partnerships, governance structures and workforce readiness required to turn potential into operational impact. This emphasis on capability extended directly into one of policing’s most foundational challenges: supporting the people behind the badge. 

Resilience, Mental Health, and Wellbeing: Supporting the People Behind the Badge

Technology and capability were only part of the story. A major theme throughout the conference was the wellbeing of officers operating in increasingly complex environments. Sessions emphasised a shift from reactive support to proactive skill-building, ensuring officers can manage the cognitive, organisational and emotional demands of modern policing. 

Inspector Freda Grace and Senior Sergeants Jarod Walsh and Courtney Brunt (New Zealand Police) demonstrated how structured, evidence-based reintegration pathways support officers returning after trauma. The Reintegration Programme combines clinical care, scenario-based training and peer connection, showing that resilience is strengthened through intentional systems rather than ad-hoc recovery.

Hannah Murphy (Queensland Police) emphasised the organisational pressures within Child Protection Investigation Units. High workloads, unpredictable referrals, limited staffing and technical constraints compound stress and affect mental health. Her analysis underscored the need for wellbeing strategies that improve the broader operating environment through research-informed approaches, peer support networks and technology-enabled efficiencies

Leading Senior Constable Michael Roscoe (AFP) presented the Threat Assessment Dynamics program, highlighting the importance of cognitive resilience. By addressing how stress affects memory, perception and decision-making, and equipping officers with practical tools such as mnemonics and situational awareness models, the program strengthens performance under pressure. 

These insights stressed that modern policing wellbeing is multi-dimensional. It depends on systems that support recovery, strategies that reduce environmental stressors, and training that strengthens cognitive and psychological capacity. This cultivates officers who are resilient, capable, and prepared for the full range of operational challenges, while also helping retain experienced personnel. This focus on shared responsibility also shaped discussions on partnerships across borders, sectors and communities.

Collaboration and Strengthening Partnerships

Effective policing — whether addressing transnational crime or protecting young people online — depends on partnerships built on trust, respect and shared responsibility. 

In tackling transnational drug trafficking, Commissioner Rusiate Tudravu (Fiji Police Force) emphasised the scale of the threat and the need for Pacific nations to be recognised as equal partners. His presentation called for enhanced intelligence sharing, continued investment in secure systems, expansion of successful initiatives such as the Pacific Detector Dog Program and greater Pacific-led representation on the global stage. 

Protecting children and young people online reinforced similar principles. Presentations by Kristy Thomson (ACCCE) and Scott Peel (TikTok) showed the value of combining education, prevention and cross-sector cooperation.

Programs such as ‘Think You Know’ deliver evidence-based content with strong student engagement. Collaboration between industry and law enforcement was underscored by shared aims, open communication and integrated escalation pathways. 

These sessions demonstrated that today’s most complex policing challenges demand unified approaches. Sustainable outcomes rely on respectful partnerships, transparent information-sharing and strategies shaped with and for the communities they serve. These shared responsibilities fed into the final theme of the conference: leadership.

Leadership and Culture: What Matters Most

The highly popular Commissioners’ Panel’s offered a powerful reflection on the future of policing, focusing on what truly matters most: the wellbeing of officers, the challenges of recruitment and retention, and the enduring need to build and maintain public trust. 

Commissioner Grant Stevens APM LEM (South Australia Police) spoke candidly about the profound effects of repeated exposure to critical incidents—not only on officers themselves but also on their families. Commissioner Stevens advocated for a cultural shift to remove the stigma around seeking support, stating, “The single biggest thing we could do to make a real difference is get our people to use the services that we’re making available to them.” 

Commissioner Mal Lanyon APM (NSW Police Force) reinforced the responsibility of leadership to foster open, supportive conversations about mental health, making it a normalised part of police culture. Colonel Matthew Packard (Colorado State Patrol (USA), IACP) added an international perspective, emphasising the need for comprehensive, wraparound support services. 

Recruitment and retention challenges were acknowledged across jurisdictions. Commissioner Col Blanch APM (Western Australia Police Force) stressed the need to make long-term policing careers attractive by ensuring workplaces genuinely support officers. Commissioner Donna Adams APM (Tasmania Police) highlighted proactive outreach to former officers as an effective strategy to re-recruitment. 

Public trust remained central. Commissioner Lanyon emphasised that policing operates by trust and consent. Colonel Packard and Chief Constable Jeremy Vaughan (South Wales Police) cautioned against broad assumptions about public sentiment, noting the importance of transparency and sustained engagement.

The panel reinforced that policing is, and will remain, a people-centred profession. Strong leadership, supportive culture and community trust are critical to its future. 

Looking Ahead: PC26 and the Future of Policing

PC25 underscored that the future of policing is defined not by technology or efficiency alone but by a commitment to people — supporting wellbeing, strengthening resilience, building trust and leading with integrity.
These priorities will set the foundation for PC26, which will continue to explore what matters most. As policing evolves, so must its focus: harnessing new technologies while remaining anchored in the values of service, partnership and public trust. The future will be shaped by leaders prepared to confront complex challenges, embrace change and keep people at the centre of every decision.

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