6 May 2009

Mick Keelty hanging up the boots

| johnboy
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Word reaches us that the Australian Federal Police Commissioner Mick Keelty has announced his retirement, effective 2 September, after 35 years in the force.

Commissioner Keelty started his career doing local policing here in Canberra. It will be very interesting to see where his successor is drawn from.

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Sorry BerraBoy but I am not a teacher.

54/11 time perhaps?

54-11 said :

He’s been a lame duck for a long time now, and the AFP as an organisation has suffered.

If only the govt can make the right choice for his replacement. His deputy seems to be highly regarded by his troops, but he needs to be given the right riding instructions to repair the damage done by Keelty.

What absolute bollocks. What exactly has the AFP suffered?

And BTW, he has 2 deputies and the one you are talking about, John Lawler, left the organisation about 2 months ago to head up the ACC. Keelty hasn’t done any damage. He has taken the AFP to a position at the forefront of law enforcement in this country that it has never been to before. The AFP was regarded as a 2nd class citizen in law enforcement circles in the not to distant past. Now every other jurisdiction looks at it in envy.

Put it this way. How many AFP members do you see leave to join a state Police service? Now how many do you see lining up to do the opposite.

A decent, hard working man who is, by and large, loved by his troops. He will be sadly missed

Cant afford to keep his job, doesn’t get kickbacks from the 1%’ers anymore.

George said :

I had a lot to do with Mr Keetly when the AFP helped get a East Timorese U14’s boys team to Canberra for the Kanga Cup in 2001. He is a very decent man and reflected so much compassion for the East Timorese kids.

George, a long shot i know but you wouldn’t happen to be a teacher (northside) would you? would you?

OT – this is the problem with paying out on public officials. We only ever see one side of them when they may do so much good behind the scenes in other areas, unrelated to their public face.

Mick must have had a stack of stamina to stick it out this long after all the BS he had to handle with Howards government. I hope he gets a good break from putting up with political BS.

I had a lot to do with Mr Keetly when the AFP helped get a East Timorese U14’s boys team to Canberra for the Kanga Cup in 2001. He is a very decent man and reflected so much compassion for the East Timorese kids.

He’s been a lame duck for a long time now, and the AFP as an organisation has suffered.

If only the govt can make the right choice for his replacement. His deputy seems to be highly regarded by his troops, but he needs to be given the right riding instructions to repair the damage done by Keelty.

Doing what the boss wants is great.
Until the boss moves on.

I always had a feeling Keelty was happy to bow to political pressure and say/do whatever the Government wanted him to say/so rather than just doing the ‘right’ thing. That said, what he had a terrible job to do at a very difficult time. So who’s to say anybody else would have been different. The only question is whether his shoes will be filled domestically or if they’ll shop overseas as the NSW force did some years ago.

Clown Killer9:52 am 06 May 09

I guess that after flip-flopping on terror and then cocking up the Haneef case he was always going to struggle with credibiliy issues in that job.

maybe the AFP can get him back on a consultative basis, as has been done with other AFP retirees.

A Noisy Noise Annoys An Oyster9:11 am 06 May 09

“We don’t want to lose you but we feel you have to go . . . “

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