On 16 February 1984, two young blokes joined the Australian Federal Police: 18-year-old Peter Mellor and 20-year-old Michael Chew. On 27 February 1984, “a skinny little Greek kid who grew up in the back of a suburban Perth fish shop” (his words) by the name of Mick Calatzis also joined up.

Over the next 40 years, all three had stellar and respected careers in the AFP in Canberra. I remember them all as young constables appearing on many occasions as witnesses in cases I ran for the prosecution in the mid-to-late 80s. I recall them as excellent witnesses and as young officers with a passion for doing their job well and protecting our community.

Peter Mellor, as the youngest, still has a few years of service left in him. He is currently the long-serving and much respected Watch House Sergeant in the decrepit City police station. Michael Chew has had a distinguished career in the ACT, interstate, and overseas, and is a highly competent and honourable senior officer who has contributed much to the AFP, Canberra, and indeed Australia in his 40 years in the force. Similarly, and in the same vein, Detective Superintendent Mick Calatzis, a still very young-looking and fit 60-year-old.

Both Michael and Mick started their careers as young coppers attached to Belconnen station, which was where I first came across them.

These three blokes have seen it all, and had the ACT community’s back for 40 years. I hope the AFP uses this opportunity to celebrate their service, and marks it appropriately with some special event, and invites the local media to talk to these three soon-to-be-retired champions.

Policing is probably the most difficult job a person can do in the ACT. Police run a real risk of harm from vicious criminals, and work long hours in often very difficult circumstances.

The ACT is currently about 250 police understrength. We have about the same number of sworn officers as we had in 2000 when I was police minister, and the population has almost doubled since then. The City police station is a disgrace, and the toilets don’t work properly. Police are unable to attend all the incidents they need and want to, as there are simply not enough of them.

The first duty of any government is the security of its people. At a national level, that means a strong and adequately funded defence force. At a state/territory level, it means a strong, adequately funded police force with the necessary legislative powers to do its job properly. Trendy, ill-thought-out, decadent, lax drug laws that encourage young people to take illicit drugs, and crazy laws to raise the age of criminal responsibility to 14 (there are quite a few 13-year-old murderers in Australia) undermine police and hurt society for no corresponding good. Hopefully, a new government after the October elections will show a much greater appreciation of our police force than this current lot.