Eleven NSW Police Force officers have been awarded the prestigious Australian Police Medal (APM) for their outstanding service to the community, as part of the Queen’s Birthday 2021 Honours List.
The APM was established in 1986 and is now announced twice a year, on Australia Day and the Queen’s Birthday.
NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller congratulated the recipients, thanking them for their significant contribution to policing and the community.
“Each officer has served the community with dedication and selflessness over many years. They perform their duties without expectation of awards or recognition but are richly deserving of this honour,” Commissioner Fuller said.
“I congratulate these officers on their distinguished policing careers and thank them for their ongoing contribution to their communities.”
The Australian Police Medal recipients are:
- Superintendent Julie Boon
- Detective Inspector Glen Browne
- Superintendent Rashelle Conroy
- Detective Superintendent Paul Devaney
- Superintendent David Driver
- Superintendent Kylie Endemi
- Chief Inspector Gregory Flood
- Detective Chief Inspector Neil Hallinan
- Chief Inspector Sean Mcdermott
- Detective Superintendent Craig Middleton
- Detective Chief Inspector Paul Simpkins
Superintendent Julie Boon
Superintendent Julie Boon joined the NSW Police Force in 1990 as a probationary constable at the Newtown Police Station, where she performed general duties and Accident Investigation duties.
In 1995, she transferred to Byron Bay, where she performed general duties and served in the Operational Support Group. In 1999, she returned to metropolitan Sydney, undertaking a short posting in Crime Agencies (now State Crime Command), before commencing with the Public Affairs Branch. She was promoted to the rank of sergeant in 2002 and to Inspector in 2004, becoming the NSWPF Media Spokesperson.
She returned to operational policing as a Duty Officer in 2007 with the Harbourside Local Area Command. In 2011 she took up the position of Manager in the Domestic and Family Violence Team, where she oversaw significant improvements in the investigations and responses to these crimes.
In 2013, she returned to regional New South Wales as a Duty Officer at the Mudgee Police Station, where she worked with vulnerable rural communities, performing extensive periods of command leadership and undertaking the NSWPF’s Women’s Leadership Program.
She was promoted to the rank of Superintendent and Commander of the North Shore Local Area Command in 2016 before transferring to her current position as Commander, Parramatta Police Area Command in 2017.
She has made significant and positive contributions to the various communities and commands where she has worked and is widely recognised for her active participation in and championing of peer support, women in policing, the prevention of domestic and family violence, professional policing and human resource management.
Superintendent Boon is an accomplished Police Commander with dedicated and exemplary police service to the people of New South Wales for more than 30 years.
Detective Inspector Glen Browne
Detective Inspector Glen Browne joined the New South Wales Police Force in 1988, serving in general duties at Liverpool and Campbelltown police stations before commencing a long and distinguished criminal investigation career in 1993, working in the Intelligence Response Team.
In 1996, he joined the Campbelltown Detectives Office and, having completed the Detective Training Course, was designated as a Detective in 1998. He transferred to the Homicide Squad in Crime Agencies in 2001, now the State Crime Command, where he led many complex, high profile and protracted investigations, including Strike Force Tuno.
He was promoted to the rank of Detective Sergeant in 2005 and continued to lead complex investigations across the state, including the critical incident investigation following the death of a Brazilian student. This investigation was the first to be monitored and overseen by an external oversight agency. He and his investigation team received high praise from the State Coroner with the investigation leading to the 2013 McLelland Review.
In 2015, he was promoted to the rank of Detective Inspector at the Professional Standards Command. In 2019, was appointed to lead and build the new Missing Persons Registry as a specialist unit within the State Crime Command. He developed and wrote the new Missing Persons, Unidentified Bodies and Human Remains Standard Operations Procedures to guide NSWPF investigations.
Detective Inspector Browne has demonstrated commitment and dedication to the NSWPF, and to the wider community, during his more than 33 years of service.
Superintendent Rashelle Conroy
Superintendent Rashelle Conroy joined the NSW Police Force in 1995 as a probationary constable at Blacktown and Cabramatta police stations, before transferring to the Physical Evidence Section at Penrith in 1999. In 2001, she moved to the Chatswood Section and then to Gosford in 2002.
In 2006, she was promoted to the rank of sergeant as a supervisor in the Gosford Crime Scene Section. In 2008, she was promoted to the rank of senior sergeant as the Hunter Zone Commander. In 2011, she was promoted to the rank of inspector at Tuggerah Lakes Police Area Command, taking up the role of Duty Officer.
She returned to the Forensic Services Group in 2014 as the Human Resources/Professional Standards Manager and in 2019 was promoted to the rank of Superintendent, Crime Scene Services Branch.
As the Human Resources/Professional Standards Manager she undertook a holistic review of human resources within the Forensic Services Group, including Professional Standards, Human Resource and Injury Management, the Forensic Quality Team and rostering practices across the Command.
She has been instrumental in facilitating strategic business changes within the Crime Scene Services Branch, to not only support forensic investigations within the NSWFP but improve productivity statewide.
Superintendent Conroy has served the NSWPF, and the community of New South Wales, with distinction for more than 25 years.
Detective Superintendent Paul Devaney
Detective Superintendent Paul Devaney joined the NSW Police Force in 1988, commencing general duties at Mona Vale and Dee Why before undertaking criminal investigation duties in 2002. He was designated a Detective in 1995.
Detective Superintendent Devaney was promoted to his current rank in 2009, commanding what is now known at the Child Abuse Squad. He has performed command roles at various locations including Corporate Services, the Police Transport and Public Safety Command; and served as the staff officer to the Deputy Commissioner, Specialist Operations. He transferred to his current role as Commander of the Burwood Police Area Command in 2019.
In 2020, he was seconded to the NSWPF response to the COVID19 Pandemic and led the Repatriation Team responsible for developing and implementing systems to safely and securely repatriate thousands of returned travellers from their hotel quarantines to their final destinations.
Detective Superintendent Devaney is an accomplished Police Commander with dedicated and exemplary service to the NSWPF, and to the people of New South Wales, for more than 33 years.
Superintendent David Driver
Superintendent David Driver joined the NSW Police Force in 1985 and was initially posted to the Darlinghurst Police Station, later transferring to Kings Cross.
In 1989, he transferred to the Northern Rivers District performing general duties at Nimbin and Lismore and later in the Highway Patrol and as a Police Rescue operator. He was promoted to the rank of sergeant in 1999 and subsequently to the rank of inspector at the Richmond Local Area Command in 2002.
He was promoted to the rank of Superintendent as Commander of Lachlan Local Area Command. Since that time, he has commanded the Canobolas Local Area Command from 2010 to 2015 and the Metropolitan Highway Patrol from 2015 to 2018. He then took up the position as the General Manager/Superintendent, Workforce Safety.
He is proactively engaged with government and safety regulators and partner agencies in identifying and minimising the risk of injury and harm to police and employees, and actively works to develop and implement positive strategies in managing and assisting injured workers.
Throughout the entirety of 2020, he worked tirelessly and provided significant contributions to the COVID 19 pandemic response and has been instrumental in the successes and protection of NSWPF employees.
Superintendent Driver is an accomplished commander who has provided dedicated and exemplary service to the NSWPF and people of New South Wales for more than 35 years.
Superintendent Kylie Endemi
Superintendent Kylie Endemi joined the NSW Police Force in 1994 and was initially posted at the Manly and Dee Why Police Stations, performing general duties. She transferred to Coffs Harbour in 1998, later performing duties as an Education and Development Officer, and in 2005 was promoted to the rank of sergeant.
In 2010, she was promoted to the rank of Inspector and transferred to the Oxley Police District as a Duty Officer. In 2020, she was promoted to the rank of Superintendent, Commander of Oxley Police District.
She has led a strong and focused response to domestic violence, rural, property and violence offences across the Oxley Command. She is passionate about Regional Policing and the communities she serves and is committed in her support for vulnerable youth; developing and supporting partnership strategies focused on reducing youth entering the criminal justice system.
She has developed significant and positive community relations and engaged with many stakeholders within the rural community, including local Members of Parliament, Local Council, and Community and Sporting Groups. She has embedded and championed the Officer-in-Charge-of-the-Police-Station model across the District. In particular, she has developed greater community awareness by incorporating the Aboriginal Strategic Direction within the Command and has fostered a greater working relationship with the community.
Superintendent Endemi is a highly respected and regarded police officer and commander, who has provided dedicated and committed service to the NSWPF and the community during her 26-year career.
Chief Inspector Gregory Flood
Chief Inspector Gregory Flood joined the NSW Police Force in 1990 as a probationary constable, commencing general duties at Cabramatta Police Station in Blacktown Police District, before transferring to Brewarrina in the Bourke Patrol between 1994 and 1997.
In 1997, he transferred to the Moruya Police Station in the Monaro District where he continues his long and distinguished career as an operational police officer. He was promoted to the rank of sergeant in 2001 as a team leader at Moruya, before transferring to the Camden Local Area Command in 2007.
In 2007, he was promoted to the rank of inspector and began his role as a Duty Officer. In 2010, he returned to the Eurobodalla, continuing his career as an inspector in the then-Far South Coast Local Area Command and, more recently, as the Officer in Charge of the Batemans Bay Sector in the South Coast Police District.
His leadership capabilities have been evident and recognised following his response to the Tathra bushfires in 2018, when he provided vital assistance in the emergency evacuation of the residents and support to the combat agency.
He is also recognised for his leadership and professionalism during the 2019-2020 South Coast fires as the local Emergency Operations Controller.
He coordinated the police response to the Currowan and Clyde Mountain fires, resulting in the management of multiple emergency services, evacuation of town residents, coordination of road closures, and simultaneously dealing with public unrest in the Batemans Bay area.
Chief Inspector Flood is highly regarded and well respected within the NSWPF, and across his community, and is recognised for his outstanding service for more than 30 years.
Detective Chief Inspector Neil Hallinan
Detective Chief Inspector Neil Hallinan joined the NSW Police Force in 1986 as a Probationary Constable at the No. 13 Division – Campsie and Lakemba Police Stations.
In 1990, he transferred to the Bankstown District Special Operations Unit. He later performed plain clothes and criminal investigations at Lakemba Police Station, with the South West Major Crime Squad, and with the Campsie Detectives Office, where he received his designation of detective in 1995.
In 1996, he transferred to the Special Branch, performing both criminal investigations duties and protective security and close personal protection for State, Australian and internationally-protected persons including the Prime Minister, the New South Wales Premier, visiting dignitaries, heads of state, and royalty.
He continued criminal investigation duties at Campsie in 1998, was promoted to the rank of detective sergeant in 2000; and in 2004 to detective senior sergeant as the Investigations Manager at the Bankstown Local Area Command. In 2006, he was seconded to the APEC 2007 Police Security Command as Dignitary Protection Manager and was responsible for planning for VIPs for the summit. In 2008, he was formally recognised for his involvement in the planning, risk management, security and crowd management for World Youth Day.
In 2008, he commenced duty at the Metropolitan Robbery Unit before being promoted to the rank of detective inspector in 2010 as the Crime Manager at Rosehill Local Area Command, before transferring to the State Crime Command’s Middle Eastern Organised Crime Squad in 2016.
Detective Chief Inspector Hallinan is an accomplished police officer who has shown dedicated and exemplary service to the NSWPF, and to the people of New South Wales, for more than 35 years.
Chief Inspector Sean Mcdermott
Chief Inspector Sean Mcdermott joined the NSW Police Force (NSWPF) in 1996 as a probationary constable at the Kogarah Police Station, later transferring to Bankstown where he performed general duties and later as a Domestic Violence Specialist Officer.
In 2000, he began serving in the police prosecutions area in the metropolitan and western Sydney Court Units, and in 2004 was promoted to the rank of sergeant.
In 2010, he completed the Senior Prosecutors Course, where he designed and trialled the concept of a Domestic Violence Prosecutor Clinic at the Katoomba Local Court. He was promoted to the rank of Inspector in 2012, transferring to the Quakers Hill Local Area Command as a Duty Officer, and was then deployed as the Manager of the Domestic and Family Violence Team. In that role, he has driven significant innovations and reform to the police and judicial response to domestic violence.
Key initiatives and achievements include the Police Issued ADVO (Apprehended Domestic Violence Order), Domestic Violence Evidence in Chief, Safer Pathway Reforms, Plain English AVO (Apprehended Violence Order) and DVSTMP (Domestic Violence Suspect Target Management Plan) and High-Risk Offender Teams and the National Domestic Violence Order Scheme.
Chief Inspector Mcdermott is recognised for his significant achievements in improving the NSWPF’s response to victims of domestic violence and his efforts to change the community’s attitude to those offences.
Detective Superintendent Craig Middleton
Detective Superintendent Craig Middleton joined the NSW Police Force (NSWPF) in 1988 and was first posted to the Central Police Station, performing general duties for several years during which time he completed secondments at South Region Crime Squad, Drug Squad and the Sydney District Court Security unit.
In 1991, he embarked on a career in criminal investigation, commencing at the City of Sydney where he was designated as a detective in 1994. He transferred to the Drug Enforcement Agency, Task Force 3, in 1996, where he worked alongside Federal Agencies investigating South East Asian Drug Importation. In 1997, he transferred to the Crime Agencies command’s Organised Crime Squad.
In 2001, he was promoted to detective sergeant at the Miranda Local Area Command, performing both Team Leader and Investigation Manager duties. In 2005, he was one of the initial responding police during the NSWPF response to the civil disorder at Cronulla and Miranda.
He was promoted to the rank of Inspector as a Duty Officer at the St George Local Area Command in 2006, and in 2012 took up a position as the Crime Manager at the Surry Hills Local Area Command. Between 2016 and 2018, he was the Officer in Charge of Strike Force Parrabell, the review of 88 historic deaths between 1976 and 2000.
In 2019, he took up the position of Staff Officer, Deputy Commissioner, Metropolitan Field Operations, where he remained until promoted to Detective Superintendent, Operations Manager, South West Metropolitan Region in 2019. More recently he has been instrumental in establishing the NSWPF international traveller hotel quarantine for operation COVID-19.
Detective Superintendent Middleton is recognised for his expertise and competency as a commander having served NSWPF, and the community of New South Wales, with distinction for more than 33 years.
Detective Chief Inspector Paul Simpkins
Detective Chief Inspector Paul Simpkins joined the New South Wales Police Force (NSWPF) in 1989 and was initially posted to the Waterloo Police Station. He transferred to Redfern in 1991, undertaking both general duties and criminal investigation and worked to divert disadvantaged youth from the criminal justice system before transferring to State Crime Command in 1998.
In 2003, he transferred to the Eastern Beaches Local Area Command (LAC) as an investigator and then later the Brief Handling Manager and Crime Coordinator. He was later promoted to the rank of sergeant. He was promoted to the rank of inspector in 2010 and undertook duties at The Rocks as a Duty Officer, St George Local Area Command as the Crime Manager, and Operational Coordinator at Youth and Crime Prevention.
In 2003, at the Eastern Beaches Local Area Command, he worked tirelessly in developing numerous projects which dealt with the sensitive case management of young Aboriginal females who were considered to be at high risk. The foundations of this project culminated into the early programs he later developed while working at the Youth and Crime Prevention Command.
He is also recognised for his commitment to the RISEUP program, building relationships with communities, sporting organisations, PCYCs, government and NGO agencies, to increase the health and wellbeing of young people through their engagement in activities and employment.
Detective Chief Inspector Simpkins led the Crime Prevention Unit project and implementation across the NSWPF.
Detective Chief Inspector Simpkins is an accomplished Police Officer with dedicated and exemplary service to the NSWPF, and to the people of New South Wales, for more than 32 years.
