Brevet Sergeant Frederick (Fred) Keal was today named South Australia Police Officer of The Year during a presentation at the Royal Adelaide Show, according to SA Police.
The annual Award, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Unley, honours the outstanding commitment of a Police Officer serving the community, and nominations are only accepted from the general public.
A hard-working Lions Club President, active CFS volunteer and all-round ‘Ideas Man’, Brevet Sergeant Keal joined SA Police in 2008 as a recruit from the UK.
In 2009, he was posted to Mount Barker Prosecution Section, assuming the role of Junior Prosecutor. He enjoyed an incredible run of success, winning his first fifteen trials.
A seasoned Prosecutor of excellent repute, he is widely respected by peers, defence counsel and Magistrates alike for his empathetic, professional manner, fairness and dedication.
Brevet Sergeant Keal has found purpose in his adopted home of Macclesfield serving as Lions Club President since 2014, and as 2nd Lieutenant in the local CFS brigade.
Between 2012 and 2017, he devised and led the planning of several ‘Gravfest’ events, wherein sophisticated billy-carts raced down Macclesfield’s steepest hill to benefit various charities, including Novita and the Williams Syndrome Association.
Brevet Sergeant Keal has led the Lions Club of Battunga Country (comprising the townships and districts of Echunga, Meadows, Macclesfield and Prospect Hill) with a mandate to serve wherever there is need, and to assist in uniting the local community.
His commitment to spreading joy and community spirit is evidenced in his seasonal activities. Each November and December, Brevet Sergeant Keal dons the jolly red suit, and Santa Claus visits the major townships in the District, complete with a trailer-mounted sleigh drawn by kangaroos.
In 2017, he masterminded the Macclesfield Bike Show, which drew some 1,500 attendees to the Macclesfield Oval, and raised $10,000 for the Lions Club to donate to various worthy causes.
