The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) is a law enforcement agency established by the Australian federal government on 1 July 2016, following the merger of the Australian Crime Commission (ACC) and CrimTrac. It has specialist investigative capabilities and delivers and maintains national information sharing systems. ACIC is part of the National Intelligence Community. History Predecessors On 1 January 2003, the Australian Crime Commission (ACC) was established under the Australian Crime Commission Act 2002, superseding the National Crime Authority (NCA), the Australian Bureau of Criminal Intelligence (ABCI) and the Office of Strategic Crime Assessments (OSCA). CrimTrac was established as an agency in the Attorney-General's Department in 1990. Establishment and legal framework On 1 July 2016, the Australian Crime Commission Amendment (National Policing Information) Act 2016 (Cwlth) amended the ACC Act to implement the carrying over of CrimTrac's functions to the ACC, including the provision of systems and services relating to national policing information and nationally coordinated criminal history checks. It was formed to strengthen the country's response to crime affecting Australia. As a Commonwealth statutory authority, the ACIC also has responsibilities under the Public Service Act 1999 and the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013. The role and functions of the ACIC are underpinned by supporting legislation in each state and territory. Roles and functions The mission is to make Australia safer through improved national ability to connect, discover, understand and respond to current and emerging crime threats, and criminal justice issues, including the ability for police and law enforcement to access essential policing knowledge and information. The organisation is uniquely equipped as Australia's national criminal intelligence agency with investigative, research and information delivery functions. The agency works closely with a broad range of national and international partners to achieve their purpose, while taking account of criminal threats to Australia, and stakeholders' needs, the ACIC creates a national intelligence picture of crime, targets serious and organised crime, delivers information capability and services to front line policing and law enforcement, and provides crime and justice research that produces an evidence base for addressing crime in Australia. They support and collaborate closely with the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC), whose director is also that of the ACIC's CEO. The AIC undertakes criminological research, which helps inform law enforcement's collective response to crime. The AIC provides independent monitoring, and research programs that enhance knowledge of crime and criminal justice issues in Australia, and