Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll stands down from top job after five years
Queensland’s top cop has quit her role early as tensions rise between officers and senior brass.
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Queensland’s top cop has quit her job earlier than planned after almost five years in the role, as officers begin to revolt over the state’s spiralling youth crime crisis and the standing down of a senior officer.
The state’s 20th Police Commissioner announced she was standing down from the role on Tuesday, confirming her last day will be March 1.
“I was challenged at committing for another three years, I didn’t think it was fair if I commit to three and leave in one,” she said.
Ms Carroll said she brought forward the meeting to discuss her contract renewal, which was due to expire in July, by two weeks.
She said her decision to do so was to prevent her leadership being a “distraction” after facing increasing pressure to resign after a Gold Coast police officer was stood down this month.
The officer had been stood down from his duties after he claimed he helped catch armed offenders by authorising officers to ram a stolen car on the Gold Coast.
The decision had led many police officers to threaten to walk off the job in support of their colleague, who they claim was just trying to keep the community safe.
Queensland’s Police Union president Ian Leavers had slammed the decision to stand the officer down, saying he had been punished for “doing his job”.
“He did what the community expected him to do and he has tremendous community support,” Mr Leavers said.
The threat of revolt comes as police officers have aired their frustrations about having to take on too many responsibilities outside of their dedicated roles within the police service.
But Ms Carroll said she stood by her decision after seeing the footage of the vehicle being rammed.
Her decision to stand down early from her role was brought on to help QPS find stability once more.
“What happened with this heightened speculation and chatter, I just want the air to be clear because it is about the organisation doing remarkable work,” she said.
“I think that’s what I want. I don’t want the distraction for the QPS.
“I just want people to concentrate on what we’ve done, what we’ve achieved and what we intend to do.”
On Tuesday, Ms Carroll said it had “been an honour and a privilege to not only serve as a police officer, but to lead an organisation of more than 17,000 amazing staff”.
“I’m exceptionally grateful for the opportunity to be the 20th commissioner of police,” she said.
“I believe it is time to allow new leadership to guide the organisation forward.
“Seeing the passion and dedication of our workforce as I travel across the state constantly inspires me. “Our officers do an outstanding job day in, day out.
“They put on their blue uniform and do the best job they can to keep this state safe.
“I promised to be a visible leader and I hope that I have demonstrated that.”
Commissioner Carroll was appointed to the role in 2019, becoming the first woman in the position.
Earning $650,000 a year, Commissioner Carroll’s five-year contract was due to expire on July 8.
She had played a crucial role in overseeing the closing of Queensland borders during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the inquiry into how police handle domestic violence.
The state’s response to domestic violence was put under a microscope following the murders on Hannah Clarke and her three children in 2020.
Then again when Gold Coast mother Kelly Wilkinson was set alight and killed by her estranged husband in 2021.
However, the ongoing youth crime crisis has seen her role and the entire QPS come under fire for the increasing level of offending, with victims of crime also calling for change.
Commissioner Carroll said there had been “various challenges thrown at the QPS” during her tenure.
“We have responded to natural disasters – cyclones, bushfires and floods,” she said.
“The commitment shown by police during COVID-19 to go above and beyond to keep our state safe was exceptional and certainly made me so proud.
“Since COVID-19, we’ve seen the population grow exponentially, extraordinary increases in domestic and family violence and mental health matters action we are challenged by the serious youth offending.
“Demand for policing services has skyrocketed and the QPS has put in place a raft of strategies to grow capability for the future to ensure we are meeting the needs of our community.”
Minister Mark Ryan said one of Commissioner Carroll’s most remarkable characteristics was her care and compassion for her workforce and the broader Queensland community.
“You don’t just end up the commissioner of police by chance, you get there through hard work, distinction, through selfless service,” Mr Ryan said.
“Katarina Carroll has excelled and distinguished herself in the role.
“I’m extremely grateful for her service, and I know the many Queenslanders I speak to are grateful and complimentary of her service.”
Ms Carroll had previously served as commissioner of the Queensland Fire and Emergency Service before being appointed to the top job for the police service.
Having served more than 40 years in the service, Ms Carroll said it was now the right time to spend more time with her family, including her daughter who lives in the US.
“The Queensland Police is an outstanding organisation,” she said.
“When I walked through the gates of the police academy 41 years ago, I had no idea where a career in policing would take me.
“The truth is it has been the most incredible and rewarding journey I could have ever asked for.
“I would not have predicted that a young woman from Far North Queensland … would make her way through the ranks to be appointed commissioner of police.”
“It really is about family. At eleven-and-a-half years at such a level, I’ve averaged less than two weeks of recreational leave a year.
“There are many times I’ve wanted to go on leave but I’ve had to cancel … so we had a candid discussion that really, it’s been 11 years … that we really needed to let it go and spend some time reflecting on life and enjoying the family.”
Premier Steven Miles said Ms Carroll had carried out her duties with distinction.
“I’ve been proud to work alongside her and seeing her leadership of the service,” he said.
“Of course, we worked alongside each other during the COVID pandemic response, where our police were just so crucial for keeping Queenslanders safe.
“And I saw just recently the empathy and support for victims the Commissioner has been able to bring to the role when she was kind enough to allow me to join her when she met with the White family after that horrible murder.
“I want to thank her for her service. It’s important and valued.”
Ms Carroll paid tribute once more to three officers who were killed while on duty during her time in the role.
“Looking back, there were dark days, and two days as commissioner which were by far the darkest – June 26, 2021, when we lost Senior Constable Dave Masters while on duty, and December 12, 2022, the events at Wieambilla where Constables Matthew Arnold and Rachel McCrow were killed,” she said.
“They were heart-wrenching moments which rocked our blue family and I know this organisation will never forget the contributions of those fine officers.”
In December, 2022, Commissioner Carroll received the phone call no boss wants to receive – that two of her officers had been gunned down by religious extremists and conspiracy theorists Gareth, Nathaniel and Stacey Train.
Constable Rachel McCrow, 29, and Constable Matthew Arnold, 26, were killed alongside good Samaritan Alan Dare at the Train’s Wieambilla property in December 2022.
On the first anniversary last year, Ms Carroll remembered the day as “one of the worst days that I will recall in [police] history.”
“You sit there and wait and wait for the next phone call, pray to God that everyone is going to be OK,” she told A Current Affair in December.
“Even though that phone call may take another 10 or 15 minutes to get you, it feels, it certainly did feel, like a lifetime.
“Sadly, when eventually you find out that two of your officers have passed away, and how it happened was certainly one of the most tragic events in our history.”
Mr Miles said he again witnessed Ms Carroll’s compassion for others in the wake of the Wieambilla massacre.
“She’s mentioned those dark days where we have lost officers, and I’ll never
forget that funeral after those awful Wieambilla murders and the way the Commissioner was able to nurse the service, nurse all Queenslanders through the grief that followed that awful event,” he said.
Originally published as Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll stands down from top job after five years
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