Ten police officers will today be recognised for their contribution to the apprehension of a violent armed offender in Poatina on 25 February 2014.

Four police officers – Inspector Matthew McCreadie, Senior Sergeant David Bray and Constables Adrian Ayers and Joshua Partridge – will each receive a Commissioner’s Commendation in relation to the event.

A further six police officers – Senior Constables Paul Britten and Adam Forrest, and Constables Martyn Scott, Adam Jago, Rhian Appleton and Bryan Powell, will receive a Commissioner’s Certificate of Appreciation.

The officers will be presented with their awards as part of a special ceremony recognising police officers and Department of Police, Fire and Emergency Management employees at the Tasmania Police Academy in Hobart today at 2pm.

Constable Michael Harley will also receive a Commissioner’s Certificate of Appreciation in relation to the Poatina incident at the Launceston ceremony on Tuesday 23 October at 10am.

At the Burnie ceremony (Monday 22 October at 2pm), Constables Adam Filler, Dean Wotherspoon, First Class Constable Mark Johnston, Mr Michael Lynd from Devonport Council and Mr Grant How from Latrobe Council will receive a Commissioner’s Commendation in relation to the June 2016 Latrobe floods.

In addition, the SES Mersey Unit, Sassafras Volunteer Fire Brigade, the Mersey Yacht Club, the 44th Transport Squadron (Devonport) and Tasports, will also receive the Commissioner’s Certificate of Appreciation for their roles in the Latrobe floods.

More than 260 current and retired police and DPFEM staff will be recognised for a combination of Commissioners Medal and Award, National Medal and National Police Service Medals and clasps.

This year, the Department of Police Fire and Emergency Management introduced the Secretary’s Award for State Service Employees recognising 10, 20, 30 and 40 years’ service.  This is the first time this award has been presented.  The Secretary’s Award recognises the significant contribution of State Service employees within our agency, and reflects the shared identity of those employees across Tasmania Police, Tasmania Fire Service and the State Emergency Service.

Police Commissioner Darren Hine paid tribute to the recipients, saying that the medals and awards were issued to members who have demonstrated a consistently high standard of work performance, along with demonstration of unequivocally high standards of personal and professional conduct.

“These awards are a chance for me to say thank you for the work that our police officers and State service employees do.  Without them, the Department would not be what it is today,” Commissioner Hine said.