Neil Comrie
Encyclopedia
Murray Neil Comrie AO
, APM
(born 10 March 1947 in Ballarat, Victoria
), known as Neil Comrie, is a former Australia
n police officer. He was Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police
from 1993 to 2001.
. In 1980 Neil studied at the State College of Victoria at Coburg (which later became part of RMIT University
) to complete an Associate Diploma in Criminal Justice Administration. Later he completed a Bachelor of Arts (Police Studies) degree at Deakin University
. He was appointed Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police in 1993, succeeding Commissioner Kel Glare
.
In May 2000, Comrie considered resigning after facing political pressure from police minister Andre Haermeyer
to appoint assistant commissioner Noel Ashby to the vacant position of deputy commissioner, over Comrie's preferred candidate Peter Nancarrow. In December, Comrie announced his retirement from Victoria Police, two years before the end of his contract. Ashby and Nancarrow were considered, but a panel consisting of Premier Steve Bracks
, Haermeyer and Lynne Kosky
eventually unanimously selected Christine Nixon
as his successor.
to investigate and report on the circumstances around the unlawful deportation of Australian citizen Vivian Solon
to the Philippines
. His report, "Inquiry into the Circumstances of the Vivian Alvarez Matter" was released in October, and was critical of the "catastrophic" handling of the case by the Department of Immigration.
In November 2009, Premier John Brumby
announced that Comrie would be appointed to monitor the implementation of the recommendations of the Royal Commission into the Black Saturday bushfires.
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
, APM
Australian Police Medal
The Australian Police Medal is awarded for distinguished service by a member of an Australian police force.The APM was introduced in 1986, and replaced the Imperial Queen's Police Medal for Gallantry and Queen's Police Medal for Distinguished Service....
(born 10 March 1947 in Ballarat, Victoria
Ballarat, Victoria
Ballarat is a city in the state of Victoria, Australia, approximately west-north-west of the state capital Melbourne situated on the lower plains of the Great Dividing Range and the Yarrowee River catchment. It is the largest inland centre and third most populous city in the state and the fifth...
), known as Neil Comrie, is a former Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n police officer. He was Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police
Victoria Police
Victoria Police is the primary law enforcement agency of Victoria, Australia. , the Victoria Police has over 12,190 sworn members, along with over 400 recruits, reservists and Protective Service Officers, and over 2,900 civilian staff across 393 police stations.-Early history:The Victoria Police...
from 1993 to 2001.
Police career
Neil Comrie joined Victoria Police in 1967, continuing a family line of Victorian police officers including his father and grandfather. Working his way through the ranks, he succeeded in attaining several high-ranking positions in the Queensland Police ForceQueensland Police
The Queensland Police Service is the law enforcement agency responsible for policing the Australian state of Queensland. In 1990, the Queensland Police Force was officially renamed the Queensland Police Service and the old motto of "Firmness with Courtesy" was changed to "With Honour We Serve"...
. In 1980 Neil studied at the State College of Victoria at Coburg (which later became part of RMIT University
RMIT University
RMIT University is an Australian public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. It has two branches, referred to as RMIT University in Australia and RMIT International University in Vietnam....
) to complete an Associate Diploma in Criminal Justice Administration. Later he completed a Bachelor of Arts (Police Studies) degree at Deakin University
Deakin University
Deakin University is an Australian public university with nearly 40,000 higher education students in 2010. It receives more than A$600 million in operating revenue annually, and controls more than A$1.3 billion in assets. It received more than A$35 million in research income in 2009 and had 835...
. He was appointed Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police in 1993, succeeding Commissioner Kel Glare
Kel Glare
Kelvin "Kel" Glare AO, APM is a former Australian police officer, who was Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police from 1987 to 1992.-References:...
.
In May 2000, Comrie considered resigning after facing political pressure from police minister Andre Haermeyer
Andre Haermeyer
Andre Haermeyer is an Australian politician. He was the Australian Labor Party member for Kororoit in the Victorian Legislative Assembly from 2002, prior to that representing the Yan Yean electorate in Melbourne's north from 1992.Before being elected to Parliament, Haermeyer worked for the...
to appoint assistant commissioner Noel Ashby to the vacant position of deputy commissioner, over Comrie's preferred candidate Peter Nancarrow. In December, Comrie announced his retirement from Victoria Police, two years before the end of his contract. Ashby and Nancarrow were considered, but a panel consisting of Premier Steve Bracks
Steve Bracks
Stephen Philip Bracks AC is a former Australian politician and the 44th Premier of Victoria. He first won the electoral district of Williamstown in 1994 for the Australian Labor Party, and was party leader and Premier from 1999 to 2007....
, Haermeyer and Lynne Kosky
Lynne Kosky
Lynne Janice Kosky is a former Australian politician and senior minister in the Parliament of Victoria. She represented the electoral district of Altona in the Victorian Legislative Assembly for the Australian Labor Party from 1996 to 2010...
eventually unanimously selected Christine Nixon
Christine Nixon
Christine Nixon APM was the Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police between 23 April 2001 and 27 February 2009. After leaving Victoria Police, she was appointed chair of the Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority in February 2009 until she stood down from the position in July...
as his successor.
Post-police career
In 2005, Comrie was appointed by the Commonwealth OmbudsmanOmbudsman
An ombudsman is a person who acts as a trusted intermediary between an organization and some internal or external constituency while representing not only but mostly the broad scope of constituent interests...
to investigate and report on the circumstances around the unlawful deportation of Australian citizen Vivian Solon
Vivian Solon
Vivian Alvarez Solon is an Australian who was unlawfully removed to the Philippines by the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs in July 2001. In May 2005, it became public knowledge that she had been deported, although DIMIA knew of its mistake in 2003...
to the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. His report, "Inquiry into the Circumstances of the Vivian Alvarez Matter" was released in October, and was critical of the "catastrophic" handling of the case by the Department of Immigration.
In November 2009, Premier John Brumby
John Brumby
John Mansfield Brumby , is an Australian Labor Party politician who was Premier of Victoria from 2007 to 2010. He became Premier after the resignation of Steve Bracks. He also served as the Minister for Veterans' Affairs and the Minister for Multicultural Affairs. He contested his first election...
announced that Comrie would be appointed to monitor the implementation of the recommendations of the Royal Commission into the Black Saturday bushfires.
Honours
- 1972 – Awarded Queen's Police MedalQueen's Police MedalThe Queen's Police Medal is awarded to police officers in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth for gallantry or distinguished service. Recipients may use the post-nominal letters "QPM", although the right to use these was only granted officially on 20 July 1969...
(QPM) in the New Year Honours list - 1994 – Awarded Australian Police MedalAustralian Police MedalThe Australian Police Medal is awarded for distinguished service by a member of an Australian police force.The APM was introduced in 1986, and replaced the Imperial Queen's Police Medal for Gallantry and Queen's Police Medal for Distinguished Service....
in the Queen's Birthday Honours list - 2000 – Awarded Officer of the Order of Australia for service to the community as the Chief Commissioner of Police in Victoria, particularly through the development of strategies to address community safety issues, crime prevention measures and crime investigation.