Webb of drama: The stories and sagas that plagued top cop
Karen Webb’s effort to break the glass ceiling in the blokey world of the police force should be celebrated, but her tenure wasn’t without controversy.
NSW
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The state’s first female top cop was for three years scrutinised to a level few public servants have ever received, and in the end the state government knew there needed to be a change.
Karen Webb’s announcement that she will be standing down as NSW Police Commissioner in September - almost 18 months before her five year term is due to end - follows months of speculation.
In a statement, Webb said she “decided to retire following discussions with her family”.
The reality however is that the timing of Webb’s departure was not totally of her own choosing, instead there had been conversations from some months within the Minns Government about her departure.
Webb always hoped to stay in the job until September, to align with her 60th birthday, but the government wanted movement sooner, and so May 18, the 38th anniversary of her time at the Goulburn Police Academy, was chosen as the date to announce it.
Webb’s effort to break through the glass ceiling in the blokey world of the cops should be celebrated, but for many her time in the top job will be remembered for some key media and policing controversies.
MASERATI EVENT ATTENDANCE - March, 2022
The Daily Telegraph’s front page story about Webb’s appearance at a Maserati dealership her husband managed on International Women’s Day in 2022 was a steep learning curve.
Her attendance was newsworthy not because the state’s first female top cop was celebrating international women’s day, but because as she did so her officers were out bravely rescuing Sydneysiders from raging floods.
Webb initially defended the decision, while then-Police Minister David Elliott also backed her.
But what it also gave insight to was not only her tendency for making questionable decisions, but also her heightened sensitivity to those she perceived as her enemies.
When the story broke there was a suggestion that someone aligned to the regime of former Police Commissioner Mick Fuller had leaked it.
In reality, The Telegraph’s leading entertainment journalist Jonathon “JMo” Moran had simply noticed an Instagram post by TV personality Kate Peck side-by-side with Webb at the event.
The Maserati saga highlighted the new Commissioner’s inexperience in the harsh Sydney spotlight.
COOMA TASER SCANDAL - May, 2023
When police were called to a Cooma nursing home to assist staff in restraining 95-year-old resident Clare Nowland, who suffered from dementia and was refusing to drop the knife she had picked up, Senior Constable Kristian White deployed his Taser.
The impact of the weapon caused Mrs Nowland to fall backwards, suffering fatal injuries.
But when a media release was put out more than 12 hours later, there was no mention of a Taser being deployed by an officer - instead the ultimately fatal incident was described as an “interaction”.
Webb initially defended the decision of NSW Police to omit the key details of the incident, sparking outrage among the community.
That was further compounded by her refusal to watch the body worn vision of the incident.
Snr Const White was found guilty of Mrs Nowland’s manslaughter in the NSW District Court earlier this year and was sentenced to a two-year community corrections order. The Department of Public Prosecutions has since appealed the sentencing.
For Webb however, the Cooma Taser scandal had a lasting impact on her tenure as top cop.
MEDIA REVOLVING DOOR - March 2022 to February 2025
Less than two months after Webb took over as top cop, experienced media advisor Grant Williams departed.
Williams had been a cop in his younger days, before establishing a prominent media career, and then returning to run the Police Media Unit and media affairs for his friend Mick Fuller.
Williams’ departure sparked a run domino effect of media advisors and “spin doctors” over the next few years, which saw former Channel Nine producer Alex Hodgkinson also depart.
Webb then hired longtime journalist and editor Liz Deegan, but after less than a year in the job she was moved on in April 2024.
That led to the hiring of journalist Steve Jackson, only for him to controversially never start in the job.
After some success with veteran government media chief Adam Wallace in the interim role while replacements were found, a new team of spin doctors led by Anthony Flannery, and including ex-Channel Seven staff Megan Miller and Andrew Frampton, are currently in place.
In total Webb’s departing media advisors have led to taxpayers forking out almost $700,000 in payments.
Yet despite all the chopping and changing, many are quick to point out her media performances have never improved.
THE GIN SCANDAL - Ongoing
Many believed the gin gifting scandal that saw Webb use taxpayer funds to buy 100 bottles of alcohol from her friend Michael Hope’s distillery in the Hunter Valley could have been the end for the Commissioner.
That is because in NSW solitary bottles of wine have ended careers in public office.
Internal emails that surfaced at the height of the scandal in late 2024 revealed Webb’s office had been warned against the purchase before the bottles of gin were bought.
The Telegraph revealed this week an investigation by the state’s Law Enforcement Conduct Commission into the gin scandal remains ongoing.
LECC originally cleared Webb of breaking any rules in purchasing gin from her Mr Hope’s distillery, but the watchdog only investigated Ms Webb’s original purchase of 50 gin bottles.
Later, it was revealed a total of 100 gin bottles were purchased, as well as 200 oak gift boxes - with the total cost to the taxpayer in excess of $11,000.
BEAU LAMARRE-CONDON PRAISE - FEBRUARY 2024
Sydney was reeling in the wake of the shocking alleged double-murder of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies by serving NSW police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon.
After days of searching for the bodies of the two men, police were eventually aided in their hunt by their alleged killer who helped direct them to a paddock on a farm in rural Bungonia.
There, they found the bodies of Mr Baird and Mr Davies inside surfboard bags.
When news broke of the discovery, Ms Webb fronted a press conference where she said she was “grateful” to the accused killer cop for co-operating with investigators.
Her gaffe led to widespread criticism and but when quizzed on it by Sunrise co-host Matt Shirvington, Ms Webb took inspiration from the lyrics of pop-star Taylor Swift, replying: “Haters like to hate.”
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