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ACWAP Award Categories – Criteria and Nomination Forms

The ACWAP Excellence in Policing Awards honour women and men across all Australasian policing, law enforcement, or justice agencies. Nominations are now open! Nominations will close on Friday 30 May 2025.

Nomination forms are available at the following link: https://forms.office.com/r/b578GJQNWv

If you require a Microsoft Word copy nomination form please contact awards@acwap.com.au

AWARD CATEGORIES AND CRITERIA

AUDREY FAGAN MEMORIAL AWARD

At the time of her death Assistant Commissioner Audrey Fagan APM was the ACT’s Chief Police Officer. She had always been a great supporter of the Australasian Council of Women and Policing. The Audrey Fagan Memorial Award recognises outstanding women who have shown exceptional qualities as a mentor, role model and leader in law enforcement.

The Audrey Fagan Memorial Award is selected from all awards nominations for each year and considered on merit.

Criteria:

  • has displayed exceptional qualities as a mentor; and
  • is viewed as a role model to the law enforcement community; and
  • has contributed to the recognition and enhancement of women in the workplace; and
  • has shown commitment and support to the profession.

 

BEV LAWSON MEMORIAL AWARD FOR THE MOST OUTSTANDING FEMALE LEADER

This is awarded in honour of the ground-breaking achievements of Bev Lawson, who as Deputy Commissioner of the NSW Police was Australia’s most senior woman in policing until her untimely death in 1998.

The award focuses on outstanding female leadership, particularly for those who have achieved a real change in workplace culture and mindset and empowered both women and men within law enforcement to advance gender equality and improve law enforcement for women.

Eligibility: Current or former female employees of Australasian policing, law enforcement, or justice agency.

Criteria:

  • has shown dynamic and innovative leadership; and
  • had a significant impact in changing workplace culture and mindset to empower women and men to advance gender equality; and
  • contributed significantly to her profession and/or community; and
  • mentored and supported others, particularly women, in the law enforcement community to achieve their full potential.

 

INTERGRITY AND COURAGE AWARD

The Integrity and Courage Award seeks to acknowledge the moral courage, integrity and commitment required to challenge the status quo, speak out and break biases that negatively impact on women. It includes resolving conflict and/or situations protecting others who are negatively affected by unlawful, dangerous, discriminatory, or unethical practices or events.

This award recognises fortitude and the ability to reflect on the consequences of actions, to analyse the risks and long-term damage, and where the outcome may bring about significant change and impact to the parties involved.

Eligibility: Current or former female employees of Australasian policing, law enforcement, or justice agency.

Criteria:

  • has challenged the status quo, spoken out and/or broken biases that negatively impacted on women; and/or
  • resolved or intervened a situation or series of incidents to protect others; and/or
  • protected and cared for others involved using innovative and non-traditional responses; and/or
  • sought a resolution which had the potential to bring about significant change and positive impact.

 

EMERGING LEADERSHIP AWARD

This award recognises that leaders influence others, commit to their own and others’ personal development, have strong “people building” skills and see possibilities through the introduction of innovative practices.

Eligibility: Current or former female employees of Australasian policing, law enforcement, or justice agency, up to (but not including) the rank of a Commissioned officer or public servant equivalent.

Criteria:

  • has shown dynamic and innovative leadership regardless of role or position; and
  • contributes significantly to the values of their organisation and holds themselves and others to account; and
  • contributed significantly to her profession or community; and
  • learned from experiences and shared that learning broadly within their organisation or the wider policing, law enforcement and justice community.

 

MOST OUTSTANDING FEMALE INVESTIGATOR AWARD

Eligibility: Current or former female employees of Australasian policing, law enforcement, or justice agency.

Criteria:

  • enhanced the professionalism and profile of women in law enforcement through their investigative work;

and

  • demonstrated outstanding performance in criminal investigations; and/or
  • tangibly improved how criminal investigations respond to crimes against the community and/or how they interact with female offenders and/or victims.

 

MOST OUTSTANDING FEMALE PRACTITIONER AWARD

Eligibility: Current or former female employees of Australasian policing, law enforcement, or justice agency, who are undertaking a specialist role.

Criteria:

  • has shown a tangible commitment to improving the delivery of law enforcement services within a specialist field; and
  • mentored, supported, and/or provided guidance to others, particularly women, within a specialist field; and
  • enhanced the profile of women in law enforcement through exemplary performance in a specialist field.

 

MOST OUTSTANDING FEMALE EMPLOYEE AWARD

Eligibility: Current or former employees (not sworn members) in Australasian policing, law enforcement, or justice agency.

Criteria:

  • provided effective, and where possible gender sensitive, administrative support, including policy development, human resources, or technology management; and
  • demonstrated innovation in implementing new policies, technologies, or practices that improve law enforcement service delivery; and
  • mentored, supported, and/or provided guidance to others within their area of responsibility.

 

MOST OUTSTANDING FEMALE INTELLIGENCE PRACTITIONER AWARD

Eligibility: Current or former female employees of Australasian policing, law enforcement, or justice agency.

Criteria:

  • mentored and supported others, particularly women, in intelligence roles; and
  • contributed to elevating the profile and professionalism of intelligence practitioners within law enforcement;

and

  • demonstrated outstanding performance as an intelligence practitioner; and/or
  • tangibly improved how intelligence contributes to the prevention of crime against the community and deliver improved intelligence pathways.

 

FIRST NATIONS AND INDIGENOUS EXCELLENCE IN POLICING AWARD

The First Nations and Indigenous Excellence in Policing Award recognises the achievements of Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, Māori and Moriori women in a policing, law enforcement or justice agency.

Eligibility: Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, Māori or Moriori women in a policing, law enforcement or justice agency (open to current and former employees).

Criteria:

  • contributed significantly to enhance self-determination (including cultural safety) principles within workplace culture; and/or
  • actively advanced or developed initiatives or practices that connect Indigenous values within policing, law enforcement or justice settings; and/or
  • demonstrates a positive impact on racial equity and/or equality in policing, law enforcement or justice settings.

 

EXCELLENCE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THE PACIFIC REGION AWARD

This award will publicly acknowledge and reward the achievements of women and men who are contributing to making law enforcement better for women in the Pacific region.

Eligibility: Nominees must be from the Pacific region (Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia) excluding Australia and New Zealand (open to current and former employees).

Criteria:

  • has developed or implemented an innovative and flexible solution that has improved law enforcement in the Pacific region; and/or
  • mentored, supported and/or provided guidance to others within law enforcement; and/or
  • contributed to the improvement of law enforcement outcomes for women in the Pacific region.

 

EXCELLENCE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT INITIATIVE FOR WOMEN IN THE COMMUNITY AWARD

This award acknowledges the excellent initiatives that exist within the community and law enforcement to improve women’s lives and their capacity to contribute to the community.

This award aims to highlight the work being done by groups from organisations such as domestic violence crisis services, women’s services, community policing units, law enforcement agencies’ service delivery units, and activists who are working to bring together women and those charged with protecting human rights.

Eligibility: A group, unit or agency in Australasia who has improved access to law enforcement and the justice system for women.

Criteria:

  • had a significant positive impact on how women are able to access the justice system through law enforcement; and/or
  • improved the outcomes for women who access law enforcement and the justice system; and/or
  • built relationships that further women’s justice and policing interest; and/or
  • enhanced networks between law enforcement and justice with the community.

 

EXCELLENCE IN RESEARCH ON IMPROVING LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR WOMEN AWARD

This award is seeking to recognise the importance of quality research that supports the advancement of law enforcement and how it can better respond to women.

The award recipient will have finalised a research paper that explores how law enforcement can be improved for women. The research may already have been published or produced for another purpose and must be made available in a form that can be published by ACWAP on its website and in its journal (this can be in different format from the original research paper).

Eligibility: Any person conducting research in Australasia who has demonstrated an interest in improving law enforcement for women.

Criteria:

  • has conducted primary or secondary contemporary research that addresses an aspect of how law enforcement can be improved for women in Australasia.

 

CHAMPION OF CHANGE AWARD

The Champion of Change award recognises the significant role that men play in improving policing and law enforcement for women in Australasia. These achievements are above and beyond their normal position or duties.

This award acknowledges men’s individual and/or collective influence and commitment to improving policing and law enforcement for women. It also acknowledges the importance of men’s role in increasing women’s representation in leadership and how policing law enforcement is delivered to women in the community.

Areas of particular focus are how the nominee has achieved a real change in workplace culture and mindset and empowered both women and men within policing and law enforcement to advance gender equality and improve policing for women in law enforcement and community

Eligibility: Current or former male employees of an Australasian policing, law enforcement or justice agency

Criteria:

  • has had a significant impact in changing workplace culture and mindset to empower women and men to advance gender equality; and/or
  • actively advanced law enforcement response to women within the community; and/or
  • implemented and/or enforced employment policies and practices that have had a demonstrated impact on redressing gender discrimination in areas such as recruitment, promotion and mentoring; and/or
  • actively enhanced women’s leadership.

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