2023 Australian Police Medal winner Mark Bland reflects on 21 years with NT police

Seeing a baby boy dumped on the road in peak hour traffic has haunted Mark Bland each day for nearly a decade. See why he was recognised in the 2023 King’s Birthday Honours list.

A scribbled crayon drawing hangs on the wall of Mark Bland’s office as a daily reminder of a Darwin mother’s 20 minutes of terror.

The detective Senior Sergeant and latest Territory recipient of the Australian Police Medal said after 21 years on the force, it was this 2014 call-out that had stayed with him.

Sergeant Bland said the woman had left her car idling in her Tiwi driveway for only a moment when a man jumped into it — with her two young children still in the back seat.

The young mother clung to the door of her Toyota, trying desperately to stop the stranger speeding off with her kids.

Sergeant Bland said her five-year-old was able to scramble out of the car but his two-year-old brother was still trapped as it drove off.

Police flooded the area and found the two-year-old dumped in the middle of peak hour traffic.

“He just put the baby in the middle of the road,” he said.

“It was disgusting.

“To me, it sticks with me every day because I could not imagine how it must feel to have your vehicle stolen with children in it.”

Sergeant Mark Bland said the incident ‘sticks with me every day’. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

The now officer in charge of Strike Force Trident said nine years later he still had the five-year-old boy’s handwritten note in his office, saying “Thanks for saving my baby brother”.

Sergeant Bland said it was that kind of community connection to victims of crime that made him fall in love with his work each day.

“When people break into their houses or steal their vehicles, it’s a great impost on their privacy, so I feel terrible for them for that,” he said.

“I really get a lot of satisfaction obviously out of helping victims of crime.”

In 2012, Sergeant Bland became one of the inaugural members of Strike Force Trident, a specialist property crime division.

“It was meant to run for a month and it was very successful, so it ran for two months, and then just kept running and running and ended up being a permanent spot,” he said.

Sergeant Mark Bland was announced as a recipient of the Australian Police Medal as part of the 2023 King’s Birthday honours. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Sergeant Bland said over 11 years the “temporary” strike force had grown to a 27 member unit to respond to the “ongoing” property crime rates.

“It’s up and it’s down and that’s been property crime since I’ve started,” he said.

“Nothing really changes.

“Sometimes it’s a little bit higher than normal but we tend to jump on it straight away.”

On Sunday, Sergeant Bland was announced as a recipient of the Australian Police Medal as part of the 2023 King’s Birthday honours.

On behalf of the NTPA and its members, we congratulate our deserving colleague Detective Senior Sergeant Mark BLAND who has been awarded the Australian Police Medal (APM) for his distinguished service as part of the King’s Birthday Honours List. 📸 @TheNTNewspic.twitter.com/KlRUKczK7y

— Northern Territory Police Association (@NTPoliceAssoc) June 13, 2023

He said he was completely surprised and only found out when his plane touched down after a holiday in Bali, joking that he was not expecting good news after seeing the four missed calls from the acting Police Commissioner at 1.30am.

“I really can’t answer why I got picked but I’m so, so proud I did — it will stay with me for the rest of my life,” he said.

All the Territorians recognised in King’s Birthday Honours

The incredible work of Territorians serving their communities and the country have been recognised at this year’s King’s Birthday Honours List, with nominees from the arts, aviation, motor sports and more.

Indigenous singer-songwriter Shellie Morris AO was the Territorian awarded the highest honours – the only local representative out of 46 Australians appointed Officer of the Order.

Morris was recognised for her distinguished service to the performing arts, to the Indigenous community, and to not-for-profit organisations.

“I feel really proud, I’m representing communities of the NT and I’m also representing my non-Indigenous family who I love very much,” she said.

“I’ve been reflecting since I heard the news, and I think it’s that I never gave up on believing in a dream, I never gave up on believing I could achieve everything and more.”

Shellie Morris was awarded Officer of the Order for her distinguished service to the performing arts, to the Indigenous community, and to not-for-profit organisations. Photo: Emma Murray

The Wardaman and Yanyuwa woman is an ARIA finalist, former NT Australian of the year, has performed at the Olympics and is an ambassador for Adopt Change and the Jimmy Little Foundation.

She is committed to representing the voices of Australia, featuring 20 different Indigenous languages in her music.

“Singing in language and learning that language is the most respectful thing I can do when I visit a community,” she said.

The acclaimed musician said she still received “ignorant and racial abuse” but felt a huge amount of love for the Territory and Australia, and was honoured to be recognised on the King’s Birthday list.

“I’m still staying focused and forward, hoping for the best results for this country towards reconciliation and truth,” Morris said.

The Northern Territory was not represented among the six Australians awarded the highest honours this year, the Companion of the Order.

Among those awarded an AC was iconic entertainer Barry Humphries, who died in April.

Member of the Order, AM

Bagot Community elder Helen Fejo-Frith was recognised for significant service to the Indigenous community of the Northern Territory. Pic: Glenn Campbell

Five Territorians became Member of the Order, recognising service in a particular place, field or to a particular group.

Helen Fejo-Frith was recognised for her significant service to the Indigenous community of the NT.

The respected elder has been a longtime advocate for Bagot Community where she has lived for more than 20 years, campaigning against domestic violence and bottleshops encroaching on the dry community.

She also once received an award from former Prime Minister Paul Keating for being the first Aboriginal woman to coach an AFL team.

From Darwin, Roger Leach was awarded for significant service to the aviation transport industry.

Galiwin’ku woman Kaye Olwyn Thurlow was awarded for significant service to the Indigenous community of East Arnhem Land.

Abigail Trewin, of Girraween, was awarded for significant service to the community through disaster response organisations, and Bronte Louise Martin for significant service to trauma and emergency response nursing in a range of roles.

Medal of the Order of Australia, OAM

Angelica and Efstratios Poulos OAM were recognised for their service to the Greek community of Darwin in the King’s Birthday 2023 Honours List.

Married couple Angelica and Efstratios Poulos were two of the 13 Territorians recognised with a Medal of the Order of Australia.

Mrs Poulos, 64, said she felt “a bit embarrassed, a bit humbled, a bit surprised and very proud” to be nominated for service to the Greek community of Darwin.

“I’m proud of my community, it’s work that’s been done not by me but by the whole community – nobody does it all on their own,” she said.

Over more than 40 years the husband and wife team have been raising awareness and funds for a range of community activities in the Territory.

For the past 20 years they have focused mainly on the Greek Language and Hellenic Studies program at Charles Darwin University, offering students an opportunity to study Greek language and culture.

The program is also conducting research to document the history of Greek pioneering migrants to the Northern Territory and Australia.

“It is contributing to the evidence base of the significant cultural and economic contribution that the Greek community has and continues to have to the NT and Australia,” Mrs Poulos said.

“I am proud to be Australian of Greek heritage and that I grew up in Darwin, Australia’s most multicultural city.

“I love to share my culture, I feel I have been able to help further promote harmony, embracing the multicultural fabric of our society.”

Mr and Mrs Poulos first met at the Hellenic Macedonian Association of the NT in 1977, raising awareness and fundraising for disability services in Darwin and forging a lifelong commitment.

Mrs Poulos said it was “really special” sharing the King’s Birthday Honours with her husband.

“Me by myself wouldn’t have done as much if I didn’t have that total support from the wonderful person that I married,” she said.

Maureen York OAM was recognised for her service to the community of Alice Springs. Photo: Emma Murray

Other Territorians recognised with an OAM included:

Cecilia Alfonso for service to the arts through administrative roles.

Robert Francis Baldock for service to motor sports, and to youth.

Robyn Cahill for service to community health.

Jennifer Joy Duggan for service to the community of Katherine.

Dr Cameron Samuel Ford for service to the law.

Barbara Gilfedder for service to conservation and the environment.

Aminul Islam for service to community health.

Gloria Angelica Morales Segovia for service to the arts through administrative roles.

Linda Rozelle Rive for service to Indigenous oral history and languages.

Valerie Jean Watters for service to community history.

Maureen York for service to the community of Alice Springs.

Distinguished and Conspicuous awards (Military)

Australian Army Warrant Officer Class One Mark Anthony Regan was recognised with a Conspicuous Service Cross for outstanding achievement as the Network Operations Warrant Officer in Supply Chain Branch and the Supply Chain Manager in Joint Logistics Unit (North).

Meritorious awards

NT Public Service worker Jennilyn Ellen Daniel-Yee was awarded a Public Service Medal, PSM, for outstanding public service to the Northern Territory public sector.

NT Police, Fire & Emergency Services worker Nicola Anne Hunter was awarded a Public Service Medal, PSM, for outstanding public service to the Northern Territory public sector during the Covid-19 pandemic.

NT Police Force Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Geoffrey Bland was awarded an Australian Police Medal, APM.

St John NT worker Mark Daniel Ferguson was awarded an Ambulance Service Medal, ASM.

St John NT worker Warren Mark Purse was awarded an Ambulance Service Medal, ASM.

Originally published as 2023 Australian Police Medal winner Mark Bland reflects on 21 years with NT police