An authorised officer (AO) is a person who has been appointed by a government department or agency to perform certain compliance and enforcement duties.
In Australia, authorised officer roles have been created under many Commonwealth and state Acts of Parliament.
These authorised officers have the power to inspect passengers' tickets, request a person's name and address if they believe an offence has been committed, and arrest a person if they believe it is necessary to ensure their appearance before the court.
[6] The Environment Protection Authority Victoria appoints authorised officers to inspect premises and enforce the Environment Protection Act 1970.
[7] Children's services authorised officers are employed by the Department of Education and Training.