Honours and awards
The Recognition and Ceremonial Team (RCT) manages the internal AFP award system and the recognition of appropriate external awards.
The Recognition Framework was established to:
- acknowledge long service
- reward meritorious and distinguished service
- recognise excellence and innovation; and
- value bravery.
The framework was developed to enhance and formalise previous Internal Awards and increase the access to existing External Awards. This was achieved by:
- introducing new Internal Awards encompassing consistency and equity, to include a range of awards at various management levels throughout the organisation
- establishing and maintaining an Award and Recognition Registry
- enhancing the process for nominations through the Australian Honours and Awards System
- enhancing the process of nominations through other external agencies, for example the Royal Humane Society and the Royal Life Saving Society
- identifying, evaluating and granting foreign awards where appropriate.
Nomination, investigation and recommendation process
To be effective, the framework requires an accountable and transparent nomination, reporting and recommendation process. As with other outcomes of the organisation, this requires all nominations to be evaluated, investigated, reviewed and processed within an environment reflecting the AFP core values. Paramount in these is the need to show:
- Consistency
- Equity
- Timeliness
- Accountability
- Transparency.
The Recognition Framework is supported by an investigative process harnessing the National Teams Model in the event of major recognition investigations. Team members will be drawn from other areas to:
- establish the Terms of Reference for any investigation; including scope, resource requirements and timelines
- develop a Recognition Investigation Plan
- investigate and substantiate nominations with evidence, including statements (witness/referee statements) and any other evidence as required
- complete integrity checks
- submit completed nominations
- review all preparation, investigation and submission phases.