Mick Keelty

Mick Keelty AO APM
Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police
In office 2 April 2001 – 2 September 2009
Preceded by	Mick Palmer
Succeeded by	Tony Negus
Personal details
Born	13 July 1954 (1954-07-13) (age 57) Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Profession	Police officer

Michael Joseph "Mick" Keelty AO APM (born 13 July 1954), Australian police officer, was the Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police from 2001 to 2009. Kelty became the inaugural Chairperson of the Australian Crime Commission in 2003.

Policing career

Keelty joined the Australian Capital Territory Police in 1974,^[1] which was subsequently merged with the Commonwealth Police in 1979, to create the Australian Federal Police (AFP). During his policing career, Keelty had experience across organised crime and corruption whilst seconded to the National Crime Authority, intelligence, community policing, and drug operations. He became an Assistant Commissioner of the AFP in 1995 and Deputy Commissioner in 1998. Keelty was appointed Commissioner of Police of the Australian Federal Police on 2 April 2001 for an initial term of five years.^[2] At the time, aged 46, he was the youngest Commissioner and the first Commissioner appointed from within the ranks of the AFP.^[1]

As Commissioner, Keelty oversaw the expansion of the AFP following the terrorist attacks in the United States of America later that year and the bombings in Bali, Indonesia in 2002. The organisation quadrupled in size and budget in the eight-and-a-half years he served as Commissioner taking on new roles such as the International Deployment Group - a body of some 1,200 officers serving in Afghanistan, Timor Leste, the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea^[3] and expanding the AFP's budget from A$370 million in 2001 to A$1.3 billion in 2009.^[4] It is widely accepted that Keelty was the Australian public face following the 2002 Bali bombings that took the lives of 202 people, including 88 Australians, that enabled the community to grieve.^[5]

In 2005, Keelty was criticised by the Law Council of Australia^[6] and from supporters of Schapelle Corby.^[7] for comments detrimental to her defence.

Keelty resigned on 2 September 2009, on the 35th anniversary of commencing as a police officer.

Recognition and honours

In 1996, Keelty was awarded the Australian Police Medal for distinguished service and, in 2003, the Centenary Medal.^[1] Keelty has been formally recognised by the Governments of Cambodia, Indonesia, Singapore and Timor Leste for work undertaken in addressing terrorism, transnational crime, capacity building and peacekeeping in the region.

On 13 June 2011, Keelty was named an Officer of the Order of Australia distinguished service to national and international law enforcement, particularly through the establishment of bilateral agreements with corresponding overseas agencies and the integration of intelligence and law enforcement efforts within Australia.^[8]

Kellty's academic qualifications include a Masters of Public Policy and Administration and a Graduate Certificate in Criminal Justice Education from the University of Virginia, USA; he is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management.^[1]

Career after policing

Since his retirement from the AFP, Keelty has become an Adjunct Professor at both the Australian National University and Charles Sturt University undertaking research into policy implications of social networking for covert operations by police and security agencies. He is a member of the International Advisory Board for the Australian Research Council Centre for Excellence in Policing and Security^[9] and a member of the World Economic Forum's Global Council on Organised Crime.

In February 2011, Keelty was appointed by the WA Government to lead the independent inquiry into the Perth Hills Bushfires.^[10]

See also

• Australian Federal Police
• Law enforcement in Australia

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} Fleming, J; Das, D (2004). "Commissioner Mick Keelty, Australian Federal Police". Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Policing and Security. http://www.ceps.edu.au/?q=Commissioner-Mick-Keelty-Australian-Federal-Police. Retrieved 27 September 2010. 
2. ^ "Reviews will become foundations stones for future changes". Platypus Magazine. Australian Federal Police. 11 February 2008. http://www.afp.gov.au/media/publications/platypus_magazine/platypus_magazine_previous_editions/2001/june_2001/keelty.html. Retrieved 3 June 2008. 
3. ^ "Annual Report 2008-09". Australian Federal Police. http://www.afp.gov.au/media-centre/publications/~/media/afp/pdf/a/afp-annual-report-2008-2009.ashxx. Retrieved 11 June 2010. 
4. ^ Dobell, Graeme (8 May 2009). "Keelty: Top Cop, big bucks and geopolitics". The Interpreter. Lowy Institute for International Policy. http://www.lowyinterpreter.org/post/2009/05/08/Keelty-Top-Cop-big-bucks-and-geopolitics.aspx. Retrieved 27 September 2010. 
5. ^ "Former AFP Chief Keelty gives evidence in Scott Rush case". PM (ABC Radio) (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). 16 September 2010. http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2010/s3013963.htm. Retrieved 27 September 2010. 
6. ^ Nolan, Tanya (12 May 2005). "Law Council angered by AFP comments on Corby case". AM - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2005/s1367014.htm. Retrieved 27 September 2010. 
7. ^ "Schapelle Corby: The Role Of The AFP". http://www.schapelle.net/propositions/2009/02/role-of-afp.html. Retrieved 27 September 2010. 
8. ^ "Mick Keelty AO". Australian Honours Database. http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/honour_roll/search.cfm?aus_award_id=1144238&search_type=quick&showInd=true. Retrieved 13 June 2011. 
9. ^ "International Advisory Board". Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Policing and Security. http://www.ceps.edu.au/?q=International-Advisory-Board. Retrieved 11 June 2010. 
10. ^ http://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Pages/default.aspx?ItemId=136721&

Police appointments
Preceded by Mick Palmer	Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police 2001 – 2009	Succeeded by Tony Negus

Persondata
Name	Keelty, Michael Joseph
Alternative names	Keelty, Mick
Short description
Date of birth	13 July 1954
Place of birth	Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Date of death
Place of death