Ten ACT Policing graduates will be appointed to north Canberra and the remaining to south, to join the roughly 700 sworn police officers in the city.

The new class was made up of eight women and 10 men. Overall, women make up 21 per cent of the ACT's police force..

All recruits will be placed on general duties policing, an ACT Policing spokesperson said.

"This graduating class brings a range of skills and backgrounds, including degrees in forensic science and biochemistry, science, economics and arts and prior employment in contract management, child protection, IT, law and management," the spokeswoman said.

Preparing for the difficult job ahead involved an intensive 26-week training program at the AFP College.

Funding for the additional frontline officers will come out of the $154 million allocated from the ACT government to community policing services in the 2016-17 budget.

ACT Police Minister Mick Gentleman said the number of women joining the ranks was encouraging.

"I am a great supporter of equality in the ACT police force, and this is a trend I would like to see continue," he said.

The growing pressure of Canberra's sky-rocketing population was highlighted in the ACT Policing's most recent annual report.

But Mr Gentleman said he believed police numbers were meeting population demands.

With the announcement of new recruits came Mr Gentleman's ministerial statement updating ACT Policing's key priorities.

He re-iterated their 2016-17 commitment to tackling domestic and family violence, reducing alcohol-fuelled violence, committing to restorative justice and improving road safety.

"ACT Policing also continues to work with partner national and state and territory law enforcement agencies to respond to outlaw motorcycle gangs, serious and organised crime and any threats from terrorism," Mr Gentleman said.

"Clearly, the task at hand presents a number of challenges and complexities for our policing service."

"I am confident the work ACT Policing is doing is meeting the challenge."