The Commissioner of the New South Wales Police Force (known from 1851 to 1926 as the Inspector-General of the New South Wales Police Force) is the head of New South Wales Police Force. The post is currently held by Mal Lanyon, who replaced Karen Webb on 1 October 2025. The rank is usually referred to as the New South Wales Police Commissioner or simply just "Commissioner". The New South Wales Police Force has had 23 commissioners since 1851.
History
The role was established under the Colonial Police Act 1850, which provided for the appointment by the Governor of New South Wales of an Inspector-General of Police. This act was repealed with the passage of The Police Regulation Act of 1862, which amalgamated the various police forces in the colony into one force responsible to the Inspector-General in Sydney.
The first Inspector-General of Police was appointed on 1 January 1851. The title was changed to be titled "Commissioner" on 8 January 1926, although the official title would legally remain as "Inspector-General" until the passage of the Police Regulation (Amendment) Act 1935.
List of inspectors-general and commissioners Ordinal Officeholder Post nominals Title Term start Term end Time in office Notes William Spain Inspector-General of Police Captain William Mayne Captain John McLerie Edmund Walcott Fosbery Thomas Garvin Ernest Charles Day James Mitchell Last 'Inspector-General' and first 'Commissioner' from 9 January 1926.Commissioner of Police Walter Henry Childs William John MacKay James Frederick Scott Colin Delaney Norman Allan Frederick Hanson Mervyn Wood Jim Lees Cecil Abbott 7 August 1984 John Avery Tony Lauer Neil Taylor Acting Commissioner of Police Peter Ryan Commissioner of Police Ken Moroney Andrew Scipione Mick Fuller Karen Webb 6 June 2025 Peter ThurtellActing Commissioner of Police9 June 202530 September 2025 Mal LanyonCommissioner of Police1 October 2025incumbent
References
External links Commissioner – NSW Police Online