AFP overhaul puts new emphasis on Pacific

A major restructure of the AFP upper ranks will split the crime and national security commands and add a fourth deputy commissioner, with a renewed focus on the Pacific.

The Australian Federal Police has undergone a major restructure of its upper ranks, splitting its crime and national security commands and adding a fourth deputy commissioner with a renewed focus on the Pacific.

The restructure comes as the national force continues to expand its reach offshore, amid a growing threat from cybercrime, foreign interference and violent ideological extremists.

New Deputy Commissioner Lesa Gale will focus on what the AFP describes as “building and strengthening international relationships, particularly in the Pacific’’, and will be backed up by the man who ran the groundbreaking Operation Ironside, ­Assistant Commissioner Nigel Ryan.

The AFP has been working for some time in the Pacific, ­providing security on the ground in Solomon Islands, and disrupting trans­national drug smugglers using the Pacific as a drugs superhighway.

Lesa Gale

“This restructure comes as the AFP’s remit continues to increase, in part driven by the complexity of cybercrime and other tech-­enabled criminality,’’ AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw said.

“Crime and national security responsibilities have been split to reflect the growing criminal threat, which has been exacerbated by geopolitics and Covid-19. With our Pacific law enforcement partners ... we are targeting criminals using the Pacific as a maritime drug highway to Australia.

“Beyond the Pacific, the AFP will continue to leverage our international law enforcement partnerships to help stop crime before it reaches Australia.’’

Ms Gale’s promotion, along with several women being promoted to assistant commissioner, means the AFP has more women in senior roles than at any time in its history, with 39 per cent of its sworn executive members female. She will lead the AFP’s inter­national and specialist capabilities, and is only the second woman appointed to deputy commissioner rank.

Deputy Commissioner Ian McCartney, who previously led ­investigations, now takes over ­national security, which includes counter-terrorism, foreign interference, aviation and protection of members of parliament.

Acting Deputy Commissioner Crime Grant Nicholls, a former Northern Territory deputy commissioner and acting deputy commissioner for New Zealand Police, will develop and manage AFP ­cybercrime and cyber strategies.

Neil Gaughan remains ACT Policing Chief Police Officer and oversees community policing in the ACT and Australia’s external territories.

In other changes brought about the restructure, Assistant Commissioner Krissy Barrett has ­become the first woman in the AFP to lead the counter-terrorism and special investigations command. Assistant Commissioner Hilda Sirec, who worked as a senior officer in Pakistan and in Ukraine investigating the downing of MH17 in 2014, will lead the AFP’s operations in Victoria and Tasmania. Assistant Commissioner Kirsty Schofield assumes the lead of crime command, and will take over the AFP’s strategy on fraud, anti-corruption, and the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation.

A new assistant commissioner position for intelligence and covert services has been created, with Hans Koenderink appointed to drive the intelligence that helps the AFP identify and target threats.

Mr Koenderink was a former police attache to Australia, NZ and Indonesia for the National Police of The Netherlands.

Assistant Commissioner Scott Lee, formerly the assistant commissioner for counter-terrorism, has taken over cyber command.