Pat Daley OAM

In 1971, Pat joined the NSW Police Force where he served for over 15 years, principally in the Public Relations and Crime Prevention sections as a serving Police Officer. Pat was a pioneer in the establishment of the first Police media liaison unit and became widely known for his work as Police spokesman.

For five years, Pat hosted the TV news segment Police File on Sydney’s Channel Ten. During this time, the Police developed a positive media profile.

In 1984, Pat was appointed Deputy Chief of the Police Crime Prevention Section and received a Commissioner’s direction to research and launch the Neighbourhood Watch Program. Pat was appointed the first State Coordinator of Neighbourhood Watch. He was the co-architect and public media face of this highly successful scheme which dramatically reduced property crime in the mid 80s. For his work in the Police Pat received the National Police Medal.

Pat left the Police Force in 1986 to start his own public relations and security consultancy. His work took him throughout Australia, where he worked with a number of major companies and organisations developing and implementing public relations and crime prevention strategies.

Pat spoke at hundreds of seminars on the subject of business security and became well known through his work in the media on issues such as community security and safety. In 1988 Pat wrote The Neighbourhood and Small Business Crime Prevention Handbook, which was published by Angus & Robertson. The book was a best seller for non-fiction.

In 1994, Pat proudly accepted the position of Director of Media for The Salvation Army. He served in this position for 15 years and during this time, was instrumental in significantly raising the profile of the Salvos in the wider community by facilitating and implementing a number of high profile media campaigns regarding social issues including drug and alcohol abuse and problem gambling.

Pat substantially lifted the profile of the Salvos in times of disaster and tragedy and put in place media strategies which helped lift the profile of the annual Red Shield and Christmas Appeals.

From July 2009 until November 2018 Pat served as a Government, Community and Media Relations Consultant to The Salvation Army (Salvos Stores). Pat currently runs his own Community Relations Consultancy.

Pat is a former member of the Public Relations Institute of Australia and a former member of the Institute of Security Executives.

Amongst his numerous community activities Pat served for three years in an honorary capacity on the Federal Management Committee of NAPCAN (National Association for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect).

In 2003, Pat was honoured to be awarded the Centenary Medal for his service to the Australian community.

In March 2004 Pat was elected to Manly Council where he served for four years. Pat was elected to Warringah Council in 2012 where he served until May 2016. Pat is the only person to have served on both Manly and Warringah councils.

In the September 2017 after the amalgamation of Manly, Warringah and Pittwater councils Pat was formally elected to represent Manly Ward on the new Northern Beaches council where he served until November 2021.

In August 2015 the Federal Government appointed Pat to the National Advisory Council on Alcohol and Drugs (ANACAD) Pat served on the council until December 2017.

On Australia Day 2018 Pat was also honoured to be awarded the OAM (Medal of the Order of Australia) for service to community health and local government.