The primary roles of the Naval Police Coxswain (NPC) Category, within establishments and all ships, are:

• Policing;
• Whole Ship Coordination; and
• Seamanship – Platform specific.

Policing

The NPC Category is responsible for the maintenance of good order, discipline and law enforcement within the RAN. Policing and discipline duties consist of Garrison / Community Policing, the investigation of incidents and offences, preferring charges and prosecuting offences before Summary Authorities.

The Australian Defence Force Investigative Service (ADFIS) was formed April 2007. The ADFIS is a tri-Service organisation which is responsible for investigating all complex and major criminal incidents within the Australian Defence Force (ADF). Employment within the ADFIS is available to those personnel who hold the required qualifications.

Whole Ship Coordination

NPCs are responsible for Whole Ship Coordination (WSC). This involves coordinating ‘whole ship’ activities where input is required from various departments without degrading the capability of each department to perform its primary task.

WSC is entirely consistent with maintaining good order, in that it provides the internal management processes that ensures the efficient use of Human Resources (HR), which in turn leads to the effective operation of a unit. WSC and Policing are mutually compatible roles within the NPC Category and are essential to the RAN achieving and maintaining operational capability.

The WSC’s primary duties are to assist the Executive Officer in the co-ordination of the ship’s management and organisation. The WSC must be impartial from departmental allegiance and have the ability to relate to all ranks in the execution of these duties.

The WSC’s Course provides personnel with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to perform the duties of Whole Ship Coordinator in all classes of fleet units. Contents of this course include:

• Human Resource Coordination
  • Maintain and Implement changes to the Scheme of Complement;
  • Management of Human Resources at sea and in harbour;
  • Coordinate and review changes to manpower resources; and
  • Coordinate personnel movements and transfers.

• Whole Ship Short term Planning
  • Plan manpower requirements;
  • Develop, Disseminate and Coordinate the plan;
  • Coordinate the Implementation of Policy Changes; and
  • Coordinate emergency procedures.

• Coordinate Whole Ship Training Requirements
  • Coordinate Resource Allocations; and
  • Coordinate Training Requirements & Pre-requisite Training.

Seamanship – Platform specific

NPCs can be posted to minor warships where they undertake additional duties as a multi-skilled member of a small crew. These additional skills include ‘Officer of the Watch’ navigational duties and providing medical support; specialist training is provided to support these additional skills.

The Small Ships Navigation Course emphasises not only navigation but also ship handling skills, on complete the member is competent to:

• Plan and maintain pilotage tracks in coastal waters using visual and visual blind techniques;
• Plan and execute coastal anchorages using visual techniques;
• Apply International Regulations for the Prevention of Collisions at Sea;
• Apply relative velocity and manoeuvring techniques to avoid collision with other vessels; and
• Apply ship-handling principles.

The Ship’s Medical Emergency Team Course is designed to train personnel in the principles and practices of First Aid and the techniques appropriate to the immediate management of casualties and accident cases.

The Minor War Vessel Medical Course is designed to provide sailors with the necessary expertise to perform basic medical duties as required in minor war vessels.

Naval Reserve employment will be limited to shore establishments until all necessary training is complete.