Mr Mick Keelty APM, has informed the Government of his decision to retire as Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police (AFP) effective from 2 September 2009.
Mr Keelty has been Commissioner of the AFP since 2001 and on 2 September will celebrate his 35th anniversary as a police officer.
Mr Keelty has led the AFP through a significant and challenging period, including events such as the 2001 September 11 terrorist attacks, the Bali bombings, the Jakarta Embassy bombing, the Indian Ocean Tsunami disaster and the 2003 Canberra bushfires.
He has played a key role in driving greater cooperation and interoperability with a number of Commonwealth and State authorities to effectively address the threat of terrorism, organised crime and drug trafficking.
Mr Keelty has forged important relationships with law enforcement partners throughout the region, overseeing significant efforts to improve the law enforcement capability and capacity of our neighbours, including the establishment of the Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Cooperation.
The Government congratulates Mr Keelty on his long record of public service and wishes him and his family well for his retirement.
The Government will consider a successor to Mr Keelty and will make an announcement in due course.