With the announcement that NSW Police Commissioner Scipione will be ending his role in April, the Greens acknowledge Commissioner Scipione’s service and wish him well.
The NSW Police Force is well overdue for fresh leadership, with infighting and internal disputes amongst senior police overshadowing the broader work of frontline police for too long.
Greens MP and Police Spokesperson David Shoebridge said:
“The Greens acknowledge Commissioner Scipione’s service and wish him well in his retirement.
“It is well past the time for fresh leadership in the force.
“In recent years the NSW Police Force has been treading water and significant internal disputes have remained unresolved under Commissioner Scipione’s leadership.
“Any new Commissioner will have significant challenges in stabilising the leadership team and restoring confidence to frontline police.
“Many observers and a good number of officers in the NSW Police Force have been critical of the lack of reforms in recent years.
“The failure to properly reform and manage the NSW Police Force was highlighted by the mess of Operation Prospect, where a twenty year long dispute was ignored, hidden and moved from agency to agency with no one having the courage to resolve it.
“When it comes to Operation Prospect Commissioner Scipione’s leadership will be remembered primarily for what it didn’t do. That inaction was a central reason for ongoing instability at the highest level of the NSW Police Force.
“We give credit to Commissioner Scipione for supporting the establishment of a single police oversight body. Bedding down this reform so that it works for both the public and the police will be a crucial responsibility for the new Commissioner.
“In order for the NSW Police to achieve its full potential it requires consistent and strong leadership, that has been absent in recent years.
”For too long infighting and internal disputes amongst senior police has been allowed to overshadow the work of frontline police. A fresh Police Commissioner is a chance to fix this
“Commissioner Scipione’s contract extension was always a stop gap measure and it came at the cost of a $100,000 per annum salary increase to NSW taxpayers.
“It is remarkable that despite the government knowing a replacement was needed for over two years, cabinet has been unable to agree on Commissioner Scipione’s replacement .” Mr Shoebridge said.
