Deputy Commissioner Operations
Deputy Commissioner Colvin is a career police officer who joined the Australian Federal Police (AFP) in 1990. He spent the majority of his early investigational career in the Sydney Office of the AFP where he progressed through the ranks, investigating a range of serious and organised crime offences, particularly narcotic importations, money laundering, politically motivated crime and terrorism financing.
In 2002, Deputy Commissioner Colvin was promoted to superintendent and became National Coordinator for Counter Terrorism. Between 2002 and 2005, he managed national and international aspects of the AFP’s response to terrorism, including the 2002 Bali bombings, the 2003 Jakarta Marriott Hotel bombing and the 2004 Australian Embassy bombing. Deputy Commissioner Colvin was awarded the Order of Australia Medal for his contribution to the 2002 Bali bombing investigation and was subsequently promoted to commander where he played a lead role in developing the framework for what is now the Counter Terrorism portfolio of the AFP. During this time,he worked closely with domestic and international law enforcement partners and governments to assist in creating the processes, and building collaboration and leadership required to combat terrorism.
In July 2005, Deputy Commissioner Colvin took up the role of AFP Chief of Staff where he had oversight of government relations, policy and strategy, business analysis, legal, media communications, and professional standards. In 2006, he was promoted to Assistant Commissioner and in December 2007 he began work with retired Chief Justice of the NSW Supreme Court, Sir Laurence Street, on a review of the AFP’s interaction with its national security partners.
In March 2008, Deputy Commissioner Colvin began as National Manager High Tech Crime Operations with responsibility for establishing the AFP response to technology-enabled crime, and delivering the AFP a leading-edge technical capability. He worked with international and national partners – public and private – to modernise the law enforcement approach to technology, provide a safer internet platform and to ensure that Australian law enforcement was able to maximise its use of technology. In June 2008, he was named in the Queen’s Birthday honors list and awarded the Australian Police Medal.
Between July 2009 and May 2010, Deputy Commissioner Colvin attended Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, in Cambridge, United States, where he attained a Masters in Public Administration. He returned in June 2010 to take up his appointment as Deputy Commissioner Operations with responsibility for the Serious and Organised Crime and Crime Operations portfolios.
Deputy Commissioner Colvin is married and has two children.