Financial investigation for routine policing in Australia

Financial investigation is commonly used in policing serious and organised crime. It is less frequently used in routine policing. This paper explores the potential for financial investigation to be used for a wider range of policing purposes. By following an individual’s financial footprint, it is possible to go beyond financial investigation’s traditional role of asset recovery. Other purposes include tracking persons of interest, linking multiple individuals in a criminal enterprise and corroborating alibies. Barriers to implementation include its perception as a specialism, the geographical and organisational isolation of financial investigators, and limited knowledge among general duties police officers. Factors facilitating the routine use of financial investigation include leadership, education and training, collaboration, and judicial and government support.