Rotary Club of Unley Police Officer of the Year 2006 recipient Senior Constable Athalie Edman

Everyday in all sorts of ways officers of the South Australia Police are involved in outstanding acts of courtesy, kindness, understanding, compassion, courage and devotion that goes way beyond the expected.

Too often, any adverse comment on Police operations receives widespread publicity but little is ever written or said regarding the tremendous contribution made to our community by members of the South Australia Police.

The Police Officer of the Year Award is the Rotary Club of Unley's way of highlighting on behalf of the wider community the services provided by the South Australia Police.

The recipient of the Police Officer of the Year 2006 award is Senior Constable Athalie Edman, who is stationed at the Elizabeth Police Station and was nominated by six organisations in the Playford Council area for her outstanding performance in the role of Suburban Police Officer for the suburb of Davoren Park. This type of Police work is a recent innovation and involves a dedicated officer managing and co-ordinating a community police response and presence within a defined area.

She has established significant community contacts, is committed to a high standard of service delivery and is highly regarded by these people.

Through her demonstrated abilities of excellent communication skills, good awareness of criminal activity and community contacts she has achieved a crime reduction within the suburb of 11% - an excellent result in an area considered one of the toughest 'beats' in the State.

When presented with her award Athalie said that she began her career in 2000, graduating from the Fort Largs Police Academy. She recalled the first days on general duties patrols in Elizabeth in her sharply pressed blues. Athalie spoke of her good mentors and her experiences in Davoren Park. She was thrilled to receive the award and thanked her colleagues, those who nominated her and the Rotary Club of Unley for the award. Athalie is the 29th SA Police Officer of the Year and the third female police officer to receive the award.

Reprinted from "The Advertiser" 16 May 2007:

"It's huge, a very presigious award and it means so much to me, because as a police officer from an operation perspective, you don't realise the impact you do have on teh community" she said. "I am really humb;led by it".

Last year, Senior Constable Edman was also awarded the WatchSA Police award for the elizabeth Local Service Area and has been involved in Neighbourhood Watch programs as police coordinator for about six years.

She works closely with local schools supporting anti-bullying policies and was commended by the police commissioner's office as "promoting a positive, motivated and professional image of herself and SAPOL".

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