What it does
The Police Service Act 2003 (Tasmania) replaces the Police Regulation Act 1898 and reconstructs the Tasmanian Police Service from first principles. Its mechanical effect is to establish a statutory body called the Police Service (section 4), define a fixed rank hierarchy from Commissioner down to Junior Constable, set out who may appoint officers at each level, prescribe what conduct is required of them, create disciplinary and review machinery, and state a set of public-facing offences relating to police-civilian interactions.
The Act transfers most appointment power for senior ranks (Commander and above, including Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner) to the Governor, while the Commissioner retains appointment power for non-commissioned ranks (Sergeant, Constable) and specialist constable categories (sections 6, 9, 10, 11, 12). Promotion within non-commissioned ranks is entirely the Commissioner's decision, subject to merit criteria defined in section 21 and a right of review before the Police Review Board. Commissioned rank promotions flow through a Governor-in-Council chain.
Discipline is handled in two parallel streams. First, an internal code of conduct in section 42 imposes thirteen distinct behavioural obligations on all police officers. Breach triggers an investigation process culminating in a graduated ladder of sanctions in section 43, from counselling up to termination. Second, the Commissioner holds a parallel "loss of confidence" power under sections 30 and 31, allowing termination or demotion based on competence, integrity, conduct or community confidence without a code-of-conduct finding as the precondition.
External oversight is supplied by the Police Review Board (section 53), a five-member body appointed by the Minister. Officers affected by disciplinary sanctions, demotions or terminations may apply for review (section 60), with an appeal pathway added in 2009 to the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (section 75B as amended in 2025). Promotion decisions may also be reviewed on merit or procedural grounds (section 55).