Winners and losers of NSW Police’s ‘Hunger Games’

The latest shake-up of the NSW Police hierarchy by new Commissioner Karen Webb has created a list of winners and losers. Mark Morri dissects the changes and what they mean.

Whenever a senior spot in the NSW police hierarchy opens up, the cry of “Let the Hunger Games Begin’’ echoes around the hallways of police commands all over the state.

For the past two months the force has been gripped by who would be the next Deputy Police Commissioner to take the spot of Karen Webb after she was given the top job.

The speculation went into overdrive when, soon after getting the job, Ms Webb terminated the contract of Deputy Mick Willing, unleashing a frenzy of aspirational cops from the rank of inspector upwards, as now there were two deputy spots, assistant commissioner spots and then the flow on to other senior ranks.

In the past, when promotions were up for grabs, it was often common knowledge for weeks beforehand among senior police who are in the know, with leaks springing about who is being promoted and who is demoted.

But not this time. When Ms Webb unveiled her new team — which involved new deputies, assistant commissioners and movement of some of the state’s most senior cops — even those who received the promotions did not know until hours before they were announced.

Assistant Commissioner Leanne McCusker was the favourite for one Deputy spot. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

For weeks, Assistant Commissioner Leanne McCusker was the favourite for one Deputy spot and Peter Thurtell for the other.

The next week it was Peter Thurtell and Joe Cassar, or a combination of the three. Very few mentioned the long shot who actually got up, Paul Pisanos.

Even Ray Hadley didn't know.

Superintendent Paul Pisanos has been appointed Deputy Commissioner, Corporate Services. AAP Image/Joel Carrett

The fact that so many people got it wrong showed that the old days of factionalism in the force are just about dead.

Many predicted that those aligned to the departed Mr Willing would be banished to the Boondocks.

Then there was the suggestion that those that were part of former commissioner Mick Fuller’s regimen would suffer a similar fate. Like that of his trusted media adviser Grant Williams who was let go on Monday. Neither eventuated to the extent predicted.

Stuart Smith, the head of State Crime Command, the most coveted of the assistant commissioner roles and a so-called Willing man, was moved from the spot, but not demoted to a non-descript job as predicted.

Assistant Commissioner Stuart Smith has been moved to South West Metropolitan Region. Picture: Sunday Telegraph/Gary Ramage

He was instead given the job of looking after the gang-ridden gun-toting southwest command, a job no commissioner would give to someone they didn’t believe was highly capable of doing the job.

Likewise the movement of Michael Fitzgerald to take his place would not have ruffled any feathers, he is a popular choice who is perceived as a highly regarded and respected detective with decades of experience.

The movement of Scott Whyte, a confidant of Mr Fuller’s, to the Police Prosecution office is slightly downwards, but expected as there was no way he would have stayed in the commissioner’s office after the departure of his boss.

The unit had been totally overhauled by Scott Cook, who has been moved onto the important role of boss of the State Intelligence Command.

As with any movement in a major organisation, and especially on the scale that Ms Webb has implemented, there are plenty of pissed off people, some disappointed and others with strong opinions on the capability of those appointed — many not complimentary.

But the Hunger Games are not over. Far from it. Deputy Commissioner David Hudson, the bedrock for close to a decade behind running the state’s elite crime squads such as homicide, Raptor and counter terrorism, is considering retiring, probably in October. (Although, he, like his boss, is keeping his cards close to his chest).

If Mr Hudson does go after 40-odd years, the race will begin all over again with many predicting that this time Ms McCusker will join Ms Webb on the executive team.

But only one person knows what will happen, and as we have seen, Karen Webb will let us know when she is good and ready.