Mick Keelty
Michael (Mick) Joseph Keelty (born
13 July 1954),
Australian police officer, is the Commissioner of the
Australian Federal Police. He joined the
Australian Capital Territory police in
1974. The ACT Police and Commonwealth Police were merged in
1979, to create the Australian Federal Police.
He became an Assistant Commissioner in
1995 and Deputy Commissioner in
1998. Keelty was appointed Commissioner of Police of the Australian Federal Police on
2 April 2001.
In March
2004 in an intervew with
Jana Wendt, he was asked as to whether a
Madrid-type bombing could happen in Australia. He said: "The reality is, if this turns out to be Islamic extremists responsible for the bombing in Spain, it's more likely to be linked to the position that
Spain and other allies took on issues such as
Iraq."
Subsequently the
Prime Minister John Howard said that this was "not a conclusion" that he himself "would have reached". General
Peter Cosgrove, Chief of the
Australian Defence Force also publicly disagreed with the statement.
Keelty caused controversy in May
2005 when he criticised the leaking of allegations surrounding baggage handlers in the
Schapelle Corby case. He indicated that he believed Corby's defence to be flimsy, "There is very little intelligence to suggest that baggage handlers are using innocent people to traffic heroin or other drugs between states." This statement, made during the ongoing trial, earned Keelty harsh words from the
Law Council of Australia from supporters of Schapelle Corby. [
1]
Keelty has described himself as "a practicing
Christian" in an interview with the
Australian Broadcasting Corporation's
Four Corners TV program. [
2]
*
Australian Federal Police*
Law enforcement in Australia*
Police confirm Keelty death threats
