The Rotary Club of Strathfield proudly hosted its 21st Annual Police Officer of the Year Awards on Thursday, 3 September 2026, at Strathfield Golf Club, bringing together members of NSW Police, Rotarians, community leaders, dignitaries, sponsors, families and friends for one of our Club’s most significant annual events.
The evening was a wonderful celebration of the dedicated men and women serving within the Auburn and Burwood Police Area Commands, recognising not only outstanding police officers, but also unsworn employees and those who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to their communities.
Celebrating Service Above Self
At the heart of the Police Officer of the Year Awards is a simple but important message: our community sees, values and appreciates the people who serve and protect us.
Throughout the evening, we heard inspiring stories of professionalism, courage, compassion and community service. Nominees were recognised across the Police Officer of the Year (Sworn), Employee of the Year (Unsworn) and Rotary Community Award categories, culminating in the presentation of the Overall Police Officer of the Year Award.
The awards continue a long Strathfield Rotary tradition. The Club's historical records show that its first Police Officer of the Year event was held in 2003–04, and recognising local police service has remained an important part of the Club's vocational and community work.
Our Biggest and Best Yet
With approximately 130+ guests attending, the 2026 Awards was a tremendous success.
We were particularly humbled by the positive feedback received following the event. Guests, senior police representatives, Rotary leaders and community members commented on the professionalism, warmth and quality of the evening, with some guests describing the presentation and atmosphere as being of the standard of a national awards event.
For our Club, feedback like this is enormously rewarding.
Each year, the Police Officer of the Year Awards continues to grow and improve, and 2026 was another step forward in making this signature event even more meaningful for our police, their families and our wider community.
Community Coming Together
The evening would not have been possible without the support of our sponsors, donors, volunteers, Rotary members, NSW Police representatives, distinguished guests and community partners.
Funds raised through the event will support PCYC Auburn's Basketball Court Upgrade and other Rotary community projects, extending the impact of the evening beyond the awards themselves.
Our sincere thanks also go to everyone behind the scenes who contributed their time, expertise and energy to organising the event—from nominations and sponsorships through to the program, entertainment, photography, video, audiovisual production, registrations and event logistics.
More Than an Awards Night
The Police Officer of the Year Awards represents what Rotary is all about—bringing people together, recognising service and creating stronger communities.
For more than two decades, the Rotary Club of Strathfield has used these awards to say a very important “Thank You” to the men and women who serve our community. Previous Club reports similarly describe the awards as an opportunity to recognise the difficult and valuable work undertaken by local police.
To every nominee and award recipient: congratulations and thank you for your service.
To our police officers, employees and their families: we appreciate you.
And to everyone who helped make the 21st Annual Police Officer of the Year Awards 2026 such a memorable evening—thank you.
We look forward to making next year's Awards even bigger and better!
Rotary Club of Strathfield
Service Above Self • People of Action • Create Lasting Impact
