Popular Murray Bridge officer awarded Australian Police Medal

He’s there at every public event, having a chat or a laugh, building relationships between SA Police and the Indigenous community.

Now he has shown up on the King’s Birthday honours list, too.

Senior Community Constable First Class Greg Smith was awarded the Australian Police Medal on the public holiday.

A 23-year police force veteran, he started his career on patrol in Murray Bridge in 2003 and often helped out with investigations prior to 2014.

But for the past 12 years, he has been central to local efforts to build connections between police and First Nations communities.

He developed a brochure aimed at educating police officers about how to deal with Indigenous families in a culturally responsible way, and has educated new community constables about cultural sensitivity.

He led the commissioning of a Nellie Rankine artwork for the Murray Bridge police station, and later all others around the region, to symbolise SAPOL’s respect for Indigenous people.

He developed a Blue Light boxing program which has helped reduce the number of Indigenous youths getting caught up in the justice system; a fitness health yarn program in partnership with Aboriginal health service Moorundi; and the Kuti Camp, which helps young people reconnect with nature and fosters positive relationships with police.

“Through his initiatives, he has enhanced community trust and ensured officers understand the cultural impact of their actions and the importance of respectful engagement with First Nations communities,” the office of the Governor-General said in notes which accompanied the honours list.

“In all aspects of his career, Senior Community Constable First Class Smith has made a significant contribution to the safety of the South Australian community.”

But he doesn’t like to blow his own horn.

He politely declined an invitation by Murray Bridge News to be photographed or interviewed for this story.