Assistant Commissioner Karen Webb has started a new journey in her career after being named the first female Traffic and Highway Patrol Commander.
Her appointment as the new Commander follows the retirement of former Assistant Commissioner Michael Corboy on Friday 26 June 2020.
Assistant Commissioner Webb is the first female officer to hold the top role at the Traffic and Highway Patrol Command since it was established in 2011, and now has more than 1400 officers.
Joining the NSW Police Force in 1987, Assistant Commissioner Webb began her career at Castle Hill Police Station, where she said she was first responder to several serious car crashes.
“It was there that I unfortunately experienced first-hand the devastating consequences of serious and fatal crashes,” Assistant Commissioner Webb said.
“These crashes have such a tragic effect on families and the community, which is why I’m committed to promoting road safety awareness and reducing the road toll in my new position.”
From Castle Hill, Assistant Commissioner Webb rose through the ranks at the then-Child Mistreatment Unit, the Drug Enforcement Agency, Lismore and in Western Sydney commands before her promotion to Assistant Commissioner and taking on the role as Police Transport and Public Safety Commander.
In 2009, she launched Operation Countdown while Operations Manager at the North West Metropolitan Region. These high-visibility operations, which proactively targets shoplifting and break and enter offences, continue to be run across Sydney’s west.
She also has extensive experience in managing large-scale police operations, including Operation Australia Day 2019 and Operation Australia Day 2020, and the Invictus Games in Sydney in 2018.
Assistant Commissioner Webb served as chair of the 100 years of Women in Policing Committee and was integral in its commemoration celebrations in 2015.
More recently, as the Deputy State Emergency Operations Controller, she has assisted the SEOCON working with multiple agencies in response to the bushfire emergency and ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Assistant Commissioner Webb said road policing is such a vital part of the NSW Police Force to, not only reduce road trauma, but to lower crime across the state.
“Our officers are making great strides in enforcing the road rules and taking the appropriate action against traffic offenders,” Assistant Commissioner Webb said.
“But we’re also wanting to educate road users on obeying the laws as speeding, drink and drug driving and fatigue remain the biggest killers on our roads.
“We’re really pushing the community to stop and think about their actions every time they get behind the wheel and the impact those actions may have on others.”
