Katarina Carroll to be Queensland's first female police commissioner

Queensland will get its first female police commissioner, with Katarina Carroll set to become the state's top cop.

It comes after Police Commissioner Ian Stewart announced his retirement in February after more than 45 years in the service.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk (right) announcing Katarina Carroll as the next Queensland Police Commissioner.Credit: Darren England/AAP

Ms Carroll, a former drug squad detective, was appointed Queensland Fire and Emergency Service Commissioner in December 2014, becoming the first woman in Australia to hold such a position.

She took on a leadership role in planning and operations during the G20 Summit in Brisbane, and has also served as chief superintendent and assistant commissioner of the Queensland Police Service.

Mr Stewart is due to step down from the role in July.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said recruiters looked "around the world" for Mr Stewart's replacement.

"Katarina will become Queensland's 20th police commissioner - her CV is outstanding," she said.

"She has come through the ranks, she has worked long and hard during G20, she has stood by Queensland through Cyclone Marcia, Cyclone Debbie, you name the countless cyclones and catastrophic bushfires that we've had to deal with.

"She is a woman of outstanding integrity, of outstanding strength.

"She is intelligent, she's smart and she has a great sense of humour."

Then-assistant commssioner Katarina Carroll took a leading role in preparations for 2014's G20 summit in Brisbane.Credit: Michelle Smith

About half a dozen candidates were canvassed, Ms Palaszczuk said.

Ms Carroll said she felt privileged and honoured to become the first woman to fill the role in the service's 159-year history.

"I know though that I'm here because of what I have done in my career, not only obviously in the police but in the last 4½ years [as the QFES Commissioner]," she said.

Ms Carroll found out about the job on Tuesday morning, and one of the first things she did was call her mother.

"I think my mother was a nervous wreck, she could barely speak to me," she said.

"She said three or four times, are you sure? Did you get that information correct, Katarina?"

Ms Carroll said she had plans for the Queensland Police Service, including working with the community and agencies on prevention, and said she wanted to take a tough stance on serious crime.

Among the biggest challenges for the role would be tackling crime and morale, she said.

"We've seen what's happening across the world with terrorism attacks, and you know, we're not immune to that, so we always need to be vigilant," she said.

"And there's the issue around engagement in the police service at the moment.

"I would like to see what more we can do to lift that morale and make sure that we're more engaged in the organisation."

Queensland Police Union president Ian Leavers welcomed Ms Carroll's appointment and said he expected her biggest challenges would be tackling shrinking budgets, the need for more police officers, domestic violence, mental health issues and the drug ice.

Mr Leavers said addressing morale within the service should also be a priority.

He said it was irrelevant whether Queensland's next police commissioner was male or female.

"Regardless of gender, it is immaterial, we will work with whoever, and I think it's our job to work together," he said.