Steve Gollschewski named as Queensland’s new police commissioner

The news

Queensland police veteran Steve Gollschewski has been formally named as the state’s 21st police commissioner after 44 years in the service.

Gollschewski has been appointed to the top job after a two-month recruitment effort to fill the early departure of his predecessor, Katarina Carroll.

Steve Gollschewski was picked for the interim job in late February, promising not to just “warm the seat” after stints leading agency reform work and the pandemic response.Credit: Matt Dennien

Speaking to journalists on Monday after his selection was signed off by cabinet, Gollschewski said: “I stand before you today very honoured.”

Appearing with the new commissioner, Premier Steven Miles said he would now work with him to finalise a “new community safety plan” for the state.

How we got here

Gollschewski was picked for the interim job in late February, promising not to just “warm the seat” while a search – including approval from the Crime and Corruption Commission – was carried out.

That move came after former commissioner Katarina Carroll called time on her five-year term months ahead of its July expiry, citing distracting “speculation” about her leadership.

Last Thursday, Nine reported Gollschewski had emerged as her formal replacement after only he and former deputy commissioner-turned Youth Justice Department boss Bob Gee were interviewed.

Why it matters

The change comes at a testing time for the police force, which is still emerging from an inquiry highlighting deep cultural problems in the organisation, and is managing a surge in domestic violence, as well as heated election-year debate about youth justice. Meanwhile, workload and recruitment pressures continue to bite.

Gollschewski himself has faced, and denied, accusations of racism emerging amid the inquiry.

Recent research found Queenslanders scored the service provided by the force only six out of 10. Despite overall falling crime rates, heightened fear also remains among parts of the community.

What they said

From a policing family – his father and brother were both police officers – Gollschewski said he felt he had landed in the job because he was always one to put his hand up to help out.

“I’ve said already to my organisation, and more broadly, that our focus now among the many priorities we have is fairly simple: it’s to keep our communities safer and make sure that they feel safe,” he said.

Gollschewski named domestic violence as an “enormous challenge” for police, with more than 140,000 calls for service each year.

He also said a final model for a new police integrity unit to deal with complaints about the organisation was still “not yet decided”, despite the commission of inquiry calling for one within 18 months.

Miles said he and Gollschewski would visit locations in regional Queensland to introduce the new leader and speak with officers about their ideas for a community safety plan.