On Wednesday, NSW Labor premier Chris Minns announced that Deputy Commissioner Mal Lanyon, will become the 24th Commissioner of the NSW Police Force.
He replaces Deputy Commissioner Karen Webb – The Guardian reports she is stepping down almost two years before her contract was due to end.
Minns told his social media followers, ‘Mal has dedicated his career to serving the people of NSW and leading from the front’.
‘He’s led major operations for NSW Police, and most recently led the NSW Reconstruction Authority (RA) – lifting up communities that have been devastated by natural disasters.
‘We’ve made this decision based on who we believe should be at the helm on NSW’ worst day.
Yet at the press conference for the announcement, mainstream media reported that Lanyon acknowledged that his past incidents could have potentially cost him the position.
‘Lanyon has been caught in controversy before, including taking his wife and another couple on an operational police boat one New Year’s Eve, and a drunken encounter with paramedics in Goulburn in 2022’, wrote Nine.
Lanyon said, ‘I have made mistakes in the past, and I’ve always sought to learn from those experiences and believe in honesty, accountability and integrity.’
He said his priorities included tackling organised crime, regional and youth crime, and support for domestic and family violence victims.
Minns said, ‘I want to make it clear that he is the exceptional leader the NSW Police Force needs right now, and I’m confident he has the skills, experience and vision to guide them into their next chapter’.
‘He will begin his five year term in just a few week’s time on October 1.
Police and Counter-terrorism Minister Yasmin Catley MP and I look forward to working closely with the new Commissioner’.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
