Overhaul to promote better police as leaders

The NSW Police Force will overhaul its promotion methods to tackle a shortage of leadership talent.

NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller. Picture: Gaye Gerard

The NSW Police Force will undertake a significant overhaul of how it promotes officers to tackle a shortage of leadership talent­ at the top of the organisation, with plans under way to elevate­ more street cops, revamp assessments, and prevent appointme­nts of people who lack the relevant experience.

In a move aimed at stimulating better leaders across the force, the Berejiklian government last week approved a set of proposals to shake up the current model of police promotions and implement a new policy that prioritises ­frontline experience and expertise.

The changes, a concession that the organisation faces a shortage of talent, will require legislation to pass through parliament.

Police said in a statement that these measures would be in place by mid-year.

One of the most significant shifts in this policy will be to move officers away from exam-based assessments and towards a process­ that prioritises interviews, track records, performance, exper­ience, skills and leadership capabilities.

“Police want capable leaders who are not only skilled themselves, but inspire and develop the skills of others,” said Assistant Commissioner Leanne McCusker, commander of human resources for the NSW Police Force. The focus of the new system will be ­encouraging police to develo­p and build the skills and experiences needed to demonstrate their capability at the next rank they’re seeking promotion to.

“I have confidence the new process­ will identify those officers most capable of representing and leading our diverse workforce.”

The impetus for change included­ many years of criticism aimed at the existing promotions system, which was subject to a review­ last year by former federal sex discrimination commissioner Elizabeth Broderick.

Her report found, among other points, that the system “does not always ensure that the best candidate is promoted”, that there is “almost universal dissatisfaction” about the process and that, while there is no overt discrimination against women, it “operates in a manner which dispro­portionately adversely impacts on them”.

Currently, officers who receive promotions are put on a waiting list and then awarded roles as they become available, often with little regard for whether they have the relevant experience — for example, a Highway Patrol officer awarded a ­sergeant’s position may find themselves leading a ­detectives’ office, even if they have limited experience working on invest­igations or with ­detectives.

The revamped system will seek to flip these priorities around — officers will need to demonstrate relevant experience for the roles they’re applying for to be promoted. If they lack that experience, they are less likely to be awarded the position.

“It’s really targeting promotions to a role or a function, so you would have to demonstrate you have the greatest capability for that position,” an official with knowledge of the matter said.

One reason why these changes have been so long in the making is because the issue is a matter of law — policing and promotions are set down in legislation.

A steering committee has been gathering feedback and submissions. Much of the response from frontline officers, and elsewhere, echoed the findings made by Ms Broderick — that the ­system was too rigid and placed too much emphasis­ on written exams; that the lead time from starting a promotion to achieving it was too lengthy; and that there was a lack of opportunity to display practical skills during examinations.

Having received the endorsement of Premier Gladys Berejik­lian’s cabinet, the next step will be to draft legislation.