Commissioner Katarina Carroll and Police Minister Mark Ryan have announced the Queensland Police Service (QPS) will transition to a four Deputy Commissioner model with a new Deputy Commissioner Regional Queensland to be permanently based in Townsville.
North Queensland will be split in to two police regions, one in Townsville and the other in Cairns.
An assistant commissioner will be based in both cities in another boost to police resourcing and community safety in the north of the state.
The placement of additional executive positions in these areas will support frontline police and support staff in the hard work they are doing to address policing challenges unique to that part of Queensland.
The Deputy Commissioner allocation under the new model will be:
o Regional Queensland (located in Townsville) – Paul Taylor
o Southern Queensland (located in Brisbane) – Steve Gollschewski
o Crime, Counter Terrorism and Specialist Operations – Tracy Linford
o Strategy and Corporate Services – Doug Smith.
Commissioner Carroll said the four Deputy Commissioner model was crucial to helping the QPS better understand the different policing challenges and opportunities to be faced both now and in the future.
“The introduction of regional and southern Queensland Deputy Commissioners will help strengthen important partnerships with government agencies, non-government organisations and community groups to ultimately prevent crime and enhance community safety,” Commissioner Carroll said.
Consideration is also been given to creating a new region encompassing the Sunshine Coast and some neighbouring areas.
These changes follow the outcomes of the QPS strategic review and service alignment program discussions.
Assistant Commissioner Paul Taylor will take up the position of Deputy Commissioner Regional Queensland
Doug Smith, Chief Operating Officer, PSBA will take up the position of Deputy Commissioner Strategy and Corporate Services
Joining Commissioner Carroll to announce the new structure, Police Minister Mark Ryan said he had great confidence in the Commissioner’s vision for the future.
“I really like the emphasis on regional Queensland.
“I applaud the Commissioner’s desire to hand more authority to those on the ground in the regions.
“To have, for the first time, a Deputy Commissioner based in North Queensland, in Townsville, is a reflection of just how important the northern part of the state is,” Minister Ryan said.
Commissioner Carroll will announce appointments to these new executive positions in the near future.
The QPS is committed to equipping its workforce for the future and this new model will allow the organisation to better invest in our people across the State and position us to achieve greater outcomes for our communities.
