Three AFP Officers Honored with Australian Police Medal

Three officers from the Australian Federal Police (AFP) have been recognized with the prestigious Australian Police Medal (APM) in this year’s Australia Day Honours List. The officers, Commander Melinda Phelan, Detective Inspector Peter Dean, and Detective Leading Senior Constable Katherine Laidler, have been commended for their exceptional service and contributions in various operational areas.

The Australian Police Medal is awarded to individuals who have shown distinguished service while serving in an Australian police force.

AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw APM praised the officers for their unwavering dedication to protecting Australians and stated that they are highly deserving of this esteemed recognition. He emphasized that these officers, through their work, epitomize the AFP’s mission of safeguarding the community.

Commander Melinda Phelan, an AFP member for 30 years, has served both in Australia and overseas. She has played a crucial role in collaborating with national and international law enforcement agencies to disrupt and dismantle transnational criminal syndicates operating in the areas of Counter Terrorism and Serious and Organised Crime. During her career, she has held various positions across Western, Southern, and Northern Commands, as well as at the Australian Embassy in the Philippines and AFP Headquarters in Canberra. Currently, Commander Phelan serves as the Commander of Pacific in the International Command, a role she has held since 2020. She possesses extensive experience in the international policing environment, having served as a superintendent responsible for the Asia and America, Middle East, and Europe desks, as well as the Police Partnership Programs in the International Command.

Detective Inspector Peter Dean, with almost 20 years of service, is recognized as a highly respected leader and an expert in diverse fields within the AFP. He began his career as a general duties officer with ACT Policing after joining the AFP in 2004. In 2013, he transitioned to Special Investigations, where he led some of the AFP’s most intricate and politically sensitive investigations. Detective Inspector Dean is widely known as the AFP’s subject matter expert on various topics, including parliamentary privilege, unauthorised disclosures, press freedoms, public interest disclosure, the National Security Information Act, sanctions, and sensitive investigations.

Detective Leading Senior Constable Katherine Laidler has had a varied career within the AFP. She started in AFP Southern Command in 1999, working across Operations, Airport, and Avian teams. In 2002, she transferred to ACT Policing, where she served in the Tuggeranong Station, focusing on areas such as the Child Abuse team and Sexual Assault Reform Program. Since 2016, Detective Leading Senior Constable Laidler has been part of the AFP’s Child Protection Victim Identification team, undertaking a demanding role with tenacity, resilience, and perseverance. Her work plays a critical role in protecting children from harm and bringing offenders to justice.

In addition to the Australian Police Medal recipients, 39 AFP members were awarded the Australia Day Achievement Medallion (ADAM) across several portfolios. The ADAM recognizes the significant contributions made by dedicated employees in the public sector.

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