In 1915, the British government arranged for the establishment of a Commonwealth branch of the Imperial Counter Espionage Bureau in Australia. The branch came to be known as the Australian Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB) in January 1916, and maintained a close relationship with state police forces, and later with the Commonwealth Police Force, created in 1917, to conduct investigations independent of state police forces. After the war, on 1 November 1919, the SIB and Commonwealth Police were merged to form the Investigation Branch within the Attorney General's Department.
In 1915 the British government arranged for the establishment of a Commonwealth branch of the Imperial Counter Espionage Bureau in Australia The branch came to be known as the Australian Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB) in January 1916 and maintained a close relationship with state police forces and later with the Commonwealth Police Force created in 1917 to conduct investigations independent of state police forces After the war on 1 November 1919 the SIB and Commonwealth Police were merged to form the Investigation Branch within the Attorney General's Department