Top cop job: Who is in the race become Gold Coast police chief

Two senior police are in the mix to become the Gold Coast’s next top cop as the Palaszczuk Government focuses on fighting a crime wave.

TWO senior police are in the mix to become the Gold Coast’s next top cop as the Palaszczuk government returns its focus to fighting a crime wave.

The Bulletin can reveal acting Superintendent Rhys Wildman had arranged to have his interview for the job on Friday after a short-list of up to five had been finalised for the permanent role as the city’s chief of police.

Acting Superintendent Rhys Wildman at Surfers Paradise Police HQ. Picture Glenn Hampson

Former top Surfers Paradise police officer Craig Hanlon, now based in Townsville, was on the short-list.

Police insiders say several senior appointments, covering the Coast and Logan districts, occur at a critical time as the focus of policing turns from Covid border patrols to reducing crime.

Latest crime figures show assaults in the southeast Queensland policing region in 2021 reached about 7500. In 2015, it was less than 3000.

Domestic violence order breaches topped more than 8000 last year. In 2015, it was almost 3000. The area is worse than Brisbane for crime.

The Bulletin has reported on a teenage crime wave involving youths stealing cars. A latest case involved a 12-year-old boy going on a joyride from Pimpama to the Sunshine Coast. Weeks earlier, he was given lifesaving CPR after crashing a stolen car on the M1 at Gaven.

Chief Superintendent Craig Hanlon when working at Surfers Paradise l. Picture Glenn Hampson.

“The government is worried about Covid going off the agenda and the focus will turn to crime figures,” a police source said.

“Those figures have nearly doubled in the last two years. They don’t know how they (the pollies) will spin it to the media. Much of it is in the southeast corner to the border. There’s been a lot of domestic violence.”

Acting Supt Wildman has had strong support for his handling of the Covid border issue, working tirelessly and being available for constant media updates.

Northern district chief superintendent Craig Hanlon has dealt with a similar crime wave in Townsville, and before that was based in Surfers Paradise.

Another police source says the role will be a challenge, as the district deals with the Covid-19 hangover, including getting the troops rested, leave being taken and the resumption of training that has been on hold to keep people on the frontline during the pandemic.

“It has to be someone who can pull the district together. They’ve got to understand the competing interests down here … the political and media focus,” the source said.

“It’s going to be someone who can lead the district through what’s going to be a whole lot of challenges, coming out of Covid. It’s not over yet. There’s a whole lot of Covid hangovers.”

The QPS would not confirm there was a short list of applicants or whether Acting Supt Wildman and Supt Hanlon were on it for “privacy reasons”.

But a spokesperson said the vacant Chief Superintendent position for the Coast district was advertised on November 19 in the Police Gazette. The closing date for applications was on December 13, and the vacant position had been occupied full-time by relieving officers.

“This was one of 34 commissioned officer positions (Chief Superintendent, Superintendent and

Inspector) advertised state-wide on that date,” the spokesperson said.

“Multiple selection processes, including for this vacancy, are underway to appoint

commissioned officers in accordance with merit selection policy.

“The Commissioner does not take part in selection processes for Chief Superintendent positions, however is the delegate to approve appointments.”

The spokesman said the Chief Superintendent District Officer was integral to policing on the Coast.

“The successful appointee will continue to focus on strategies to prevent, disrupt, respond and

investigate crime and address community safety issues,” the spokesperson said.