The Australian Federal Police Association (AFPA) supports the Canberra Liberals ‘Safer Summer’ proposal to give ACT Policing handheld metal-detection wands in Canberra’s CBD, Civic and Braddon.
AFPA President Alex Caruana said the pilot would provide valuable local evidence to determine whether a permanent Jack’s Law-style public-place wanding scheme should be rolled out in the ACT.
“The AFPA supports the Canberra Liberals ‘Safer Summer’ proposal because it gives the ACT a targeted and evidence-based way to test knife-detection wanding in high-risk public places.
“By implementing the trial, the ACT Government does not need to guess. It can run a properly designed pilot, collect the data, assess the results and decide whether a permanent Jack’s Law-style scheme should be introduced.” Mr Caruana said.
The Canberra Liberals’ ‘Safer Summer’ proposal calls for a pilot to commence no later than 1 December 2026, with public reporting on the number of people scanned, knives seized, cautions issued, and charges laid.
Mr Caruana said the AFPA also wants the ACT Government to treat day-to-day wand search powers as a separate and immediate police and community safety issue.
“Jack’s Law-style powers and day-to-day wanding are related, but they are not the same. A Safer Summer pilot would test the use of wands in defined public places during high-risk periods.
“Day-to-day wanding is about giving police a practical safety tool during ordinary operations, including when officers reasonably suspect a person is carrying a knife, when a person is in police custody or care, or when a safety search is needed before transport, custody, protected custody or hospital handover,” Mr Caruana said.
The AFPA said day-to-day wanding powers should allow ACT Policing to use handheld metal-detection wands in clear operational settings, including:
| Day-to-day setting | Why it matters |
| Reasonable suspicion of a knife or weapon | Gives police a quick, less invasive way to confirm risk before harm occurs. |
| Before placing a person in a police vehicle | Protects police officers and the person being transported. |
| Police care, custody or protected custody | Reduces risk inside police facilities, cells, interview areas and holding spaces. |
| Mental health, hospital or care-related handovers | Helps identify concealed weapons before police leave the person with health staff or support workers |
| Bags and personal property linked to a lawful wanding check | Prevents weapons from being missed when carried in a bag, jacket, or other item. |
Mr Caruana said that The Canberra Hospital incident shows why this cannot be limited to nightlife precincts and needs to be brought into everyday police duties.
“In The Canberra Hospital incident, police had already located one knife during an earlier search, but a second knife was later produced inside the hospital after being concealed by the person in protected custody. That is exactly the sort of operational gap a day-to-day wanding power could help address.”
Recent reported knife and bladed-weapon incidents across Canberra include:
| Date | Reported Incident |
| 11 Nov 2025 | Armed offender report at Westfield Woden. Large knife recovered after alleged robbery and attempted vehicle thefts. |
| 17 Nov 2025 | Woman allegedly struck with a machete at SouthPoint, Greenway. |
| 23 Nov 2025 | Man arrested near Belconnen after police allegedly found a large hunting knife in his bag. |
| 13 Dec 2025 | Man suffered deep lacerations in an alleged machete attack in Mitchell. |
| 2 Jan 2026 | Man charged after allegedly stealing two large knives in Fyshwick and threatening the public. |
| 15 Jan 2026 | Group allegedly brandished a knife at two young people during an Eddison Park disturbance |
| Feb 2026 | Alleged knife-point vehicle theft offending, including incidents in Holt and Wanniassa. |
| 19 Mar 2026 | About 18 young people were allegedly involved in a Belconnen Westfield altercation where knives and hammers were produced. |
| 27 Mar 2026 | Five young people are allegedly involved in a Canberra Centre altercation where knives and a hammer were produced. |
| 3 Apr 2026 | Police officer allegedly stabbed during an arrest after dangerous driving across Canberra’s south. |
| 4 Apr 2026 | City Walk disturbance involving knives. Two knives were allegedly found in a backpack. |
| 15 Apr 2026 | Three 14-year-old boys were arrested over separate alleged knife incidents in Braddon and Oxley. |
| 18 Apr 2026 | Four teenagers were arrested in Gungahlin after an alleged knife possession, including one youth who was allegedly moving towards police with a knife. |
| Late Apr 2026 | Canberra Hospital incident where a man reportedly produced a knife. |
| 3 May 2026 | Woman charged after alleged Hackett burglary and threats to stab a member of the public. |
Mr Caruana said that these incidents are not all the same, and that is exactly why the ACT needs two responses to knife crime and community safety.
“The Safer Summer pilot should test whether a Jack’s Law-style model works in defined public places.
“Day-to-day wanding should give police a clear operational safety power where there is reasonable suspicion, where a person is already in police care, or where officers need to manage risk before transport, custody or handover. Both models should be targeted, proportionate and subject to proper safeguards,” Mr Caruana said.
The AFPA highlights that the ACT already has a legislative precedent for scanning searches under the Major Events Act 2014, which includes searches by electronic or other means that do not require a person to remove clothing or be touched.
Mr Caruana said that the legal concept of wanding already exists in the ACT.
“What is missing is a practical model for everyday policing.
“This is about prevention. It is about giving police a safe, practical and accountable way to detect weapons before they are used,” Mr Caruana said.
For comments: AFPA Media and Government Relations Manager Troy Roberts – (02) 6285 1677 – troy.r@afpa.org.au
