Australian Federal Police (AFP) Protective Service Officer (PSO) Adam Dunning has been posthumously awarded four medals commemorating his service and sacrifice for Australia and the Pacific region.
AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw said PSO Dunning was shot and killed while on patrol in Solomon Islands in 2004.
Commissioner Kershaw said the posthumous awards highlighted the importance of PSO Dunning’s contribution through his service to the AFP, from the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF), Solomon Islands and Australia.
“The AFP lost a courageous and professional young officer, and the people of Australia and the Solomon Islands lost a dedicated young man committed to serving Australia and the Pacific Islands, with his colleagues,” he said.
“Adam died for peace, law and order.
“These new awards reinforce our commitment to ensuring his work and untimely death will always be remembered by his colleagues in the Australian Federal Police and the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force.”
Commissioner Kershaw said the highly-decorated officer joined the AFP in 2003 and was deployed as a member of the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) in 2004.
He said AFP Honours and Awards worked closely with Government House and the RSIPF to ensure PSO Dunning was eligible for these latest awards.
“Following this process, he has been awarded the National Medal, which recognises 15 years’ uniformed service to Australia,” he said.
Commissioner Kershaw said PSO Dunning was also posthumously awarded the AFP Protection Medal, the RSIPF Medal for Excellence and the International Law Enforcement Cooperation (ILEC) Medal.
He said the ILEC Medal was created to recognise international law enforcement participation in Solomon Islands, including during RAMSI.
“PSO Dunning’s untimely death after 115 days in the country resulted in him not meeting the eligibility requirement of 180 days in mission.
“The RSIPF agreed and deemed him eligible based on the assumption he would have served the 180 days if not murdered.”
Commissioner Kershaw said the concept of deeming a fallen member’s service as eligible for service awards was a tradition observed to honour those who had made the ultimate sacrifice while on duty and was practised in the AFP Service Medal criteria.
