Audrey Fagan
Encyclopedia
Audrey Fagan was an Australian police officer, from 2005 holding the rank of Assistant Commissioner and the title of Chief Police Officer for the Australian Capital Territory
(ACT), which included community policing responsibilities for Canberra
and other parts of the ACT. She was awarded the Australian Police Medal in 2004.
Fagan was born in Ireland
in 1962. She and her parents, Arthur and Jenny, emigrated to South Australia in 1971, when Audrey was nine. She joined the Australian Federal Police
(AFP) in 1981, at age of 18..
On 20 April 2007, Fagan committed suicide while holidaying on Queensland
's Hayman Island
. She was found hanged. The Queensland Police
are investigating her death and have stated that they believe there were no suspicious circumstances, and that the possibility of suicide
was being investigated.
Assistant Commissioner Fagan was under scrutiny over the treatment of detainees in Canberra police cells after the ACT Ombudsman revealed details in February of a joint review to examine procedures in Canberra's watch house. It followed complaints made to the Ombudsman relating to the treatment of intoxicated detainees and those with a disability, failure to provide timely medical treatment and theft of property.
Two weeks before her death, Jack Waterford
, the editor-at-large of The Canberra Times
, wrote a highly critical editorial on the current management of the AFP, in which he opined that the ACT was "receiving a second-rate service at Rolls-Royce cost" and suggested that the ACT Policing "was a complacent and unaccountable organisation of no great competence which is wide open to and may have already been percolated by corruption", allegations which were picked up by other ACT media outlets, including the ABC
. AFP Commissioner Mick Keelty
confirmed that Assistant Commissioner Fagan had felt under pressure as a result of the latest media attention and had sought professional support.
Fagan was survived by her second husband Chris Rowell, and daughter Clair from her previous marriage to Andrew Phillips.
A funeral with full police honours was held at St Christopher's Roman Catholic Cathedral
, Canberra on 27 April 2007, after which Fagan was interred at a private family ceremony.
Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...
(ACT), which included community policing responsibilities for Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
and other parts of the ACT. She was awarded the Australian Police Medal in 2004.
Fagan was born in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
in 1962. She and her parents, Arthur and Jenny, emigrated to South Australia in 1971, when Audrey was nine. She joined the Australian Federal Police
Australian Federal Police
The Australian Federal Police is the federal police agency of the Commonwealth of Australia. Although the AFP was created by the amalgamation in 1979 of three Commonwealth law enforcement agencies, it traces its history from Commonwealth law enforcement agencies dating back to the federation of...
(AFP) in 1981, at age of 18..
On 20 April 2007, Fagan committed suicide while holidaying on Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
's Hayman Island
Hayman Island
Hayman Island is the most northerly of the Whitsunday Islands, part of the Cumberland Islands, which are located off the coast of Central Queensland, Australia at...
. She was found hanged. The Queensland Police
Queensland 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"...
are investigating her death and have stated that they believe there were no suspicious circumstances, and that the possibility of suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
was being investigated.
Assistant Commissioner Fagan was under scrutiny over the treatment of detainees in Canberra police cells after the ACT Ombudsman revealed details in February of a joint review to examine procedures in Canberra's watch house. It followed complaints made to the Ombudsman relating to the treatment of intoxicated detainees and those with a disability, failure to provide timely medical treatment and theft of property.
Two weeks before her death, Jack Waterford
Jack Waterford
Jack Waterford AM is an Australian journalist and commentator who is now Editor-at-Large of the Canberra Times.A law graduate from the Australian National University, John Edward Waterford began his journalism career as a cadet with the Canberra Times in 1972, covering a broad range of rounds...
, the editor-at-large of The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times newspaper was founded in 1926 in Canberra, Australia by Arthur Shakespeare.It was the second paper to be printed in the city, the first being The Federal Capital Pioneer. The paper was sold to the Fairfax group in the 1960s by Arthur Shakespeare on the condition that it continue...
, wrote a highly critical editorial on the current management of the AFP, in which he opined that the ACT was "receiving a second-rate service at Rolls-Royce cost" and suggested that the ACT Policing "was a complacent and unaccountable organisation of no great competence which is wide open to and may have already been percolated by corruption", allegations which were picked up by other ACT media outlets, including the ABC
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
. AFP Commissioner Mick Keelty
Mick Keelty
Michael Joseph "Mick" Keelty AO APM , Australian police officer, was the Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police from 2001 to 2009...
confirmed that Assistant Commissioner Fagan had felt under pressure as a result of the latest media attention and had sought professional support.
Fagan was survived by her second husband Chris Rowell, and daughter Clair from her previous marriage to Andrew Phillips.
A funeral with full police honours was held at St Christopher's Roman Catholic Cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
, Canberra on 27 April 2007, after which Fagan was interred at a private family ceremony.