Katarina Carroll resigns: Steve Gollschewski one of frontrunners

The police service’s “Mr Fix It” is a frontrunner to replace the commissioner, but it’s not yet clear if he will put his hand up.

The man being tipped as a frontrunner to replace Katarina Carroll as police commissioner has already been working on reforming the service after multiple inquiries, some of which were scathing of the police service.

But despite Steve Gollschewski being dubbed the “Mr Fix It” of the service, it is unclear if he will take on the role of acting commissioner or if he will apply for the top job.

Mr Gollschewski was a deputy commissioner in the service before he was appointed special co-ordinator for police reform in November 2022, following the commission of inquiry into police responses to domestic and family violence.

Steve Gollschewski

In his role he is also overseeing the police response to the independent review of the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, the response to the Women’s Safety and Justice Taskforce’s Hear Her Voice reports and the Commission of Inquiry into forensic DNA testing in Queensland.

Mr Gollschewski was also a former state disaster co-ordinator and led the overall operational response to Covid-19 pandemic for the police service.

Police Minister Mark Ryan said it was too early to know how long it will take to appoint a new commissioner.

“We will go through that process and make an announcement in due course,” Mr Ryan said.

“But the intention would be to run that process as quickly as possible.”

However it’s understood an acting commissioner would take up the role for at least a few months.

Other respected police officers are also waiting in the wings for the top role which pays a total package of $650,000.

Katarina Carroll announces she is resigning as Queensland’s police commissioner. Picture: Dan Peled

Deputy Commissioners Shane Chelepy, Cameron Harsley and Cheryl Scanlon would be considered in the mix for the top role.

Mr Chelepy is the state disaster co-ordinator and has youth crime under his portfolio and was a figurehead during the Covid pandemic; Mr Harsley is the regional services deputy and is well respected by the Crime and Corruption Commission; and Ms Scanlon is an experienced investigator who was also previously the QPS Child Safety director.

Each of the deputies have been in the roles for a short time, with Ms Scanlon the latest promoted to specialist operations.

Kev Guteridge, currently acting deputy commissioner of regional operations, has experience working across the state.

Former Deputy Commissioners Bob Gee, Brett Pointing and Ross Barnett would also be considered, having left the service to run their own race.

Mr Pointing is currently in the Australian Federal Police as the Commander of the Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Co-operation; Mr Barnett is the director of investigations of alleged Australian war crimes; and Mr Gee is the director general of Youth Justice and was also the state disaster co-ordinator

Other potential candidates for the job would include Deputy Commissioner Debbie Platz of the New South Wales SES, who was previously an Assistant Commissioner in both the Queensland Police Service and the Australian Federal Police.

Ms Carroll on Tuesday said she wouldn’t nominate her preferred successor.

“That’s a difficult one and nor am I going to give you a name because it is unfair,” she said.

“There are some extraordinary leaders in our organisation, extraordinary leaders within it now and extraordinary leaders that have left.”

Originally published as Katarina Carroll resigns: Steve Gollschewski one of frontrunners