The man currently heading IT for the Queensland Police Service is one of a handful of technology professionals recognised as part of the 2014 Australia Day Honours on the weekend.
Assistant Commissioner Bob Gee, a career police officer, took over the IT division at QPS in May following an executive restructure of the agency.
He has been awarded an Australian Police Medal for his “professionalism, leadership abilities and strategic planning skills”.
“His approach to his own professional development and the encouragement of police officers to seek out higher education and development opportunities are indicative of his commitment to the philosophy of continuous improvement,” said a QPS spokeswoman.
Gee will likely be taking his leadership skills to another area of the agency in the not too distant future.
The QPS is in the process of transferring its IT functions over to a new consolidated emergency services IT shop, meaning that its tech needs will fall under new leadership and that Gee’s current role is likely to be dramatically changed. The transformation stems from Mick Keelty’s review of the state’s emergency services which described QPS IT as lagging “years behind other police jurisdictions”.
Also from Queensland, Alan Jorgensen from the State's fire service has taken home an Australian Fire Service Medal for his role leading the establishment of the Queensland Fire and Emergency Service’s rostering system.
Down in Canberra, Captain Michael Rothwell has been recognised with membership of the Military Division of the Order of Australia for his service as director of ICT capability coordination within the Department of Defence’s CIO Group (CIOG).
Brenda Aynsley, who is the current chair of the International Federation for Information Processing and incoming president of the Australian Computer Society was recognised with a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM), alongside former ACS President Peter Murton who was recognised for his services to IT as well as his community work.
