A new deputy Commissioner role has been created and quickly filled at the ACT Emergency Services Agency, with current Chief Police Officer Ray Johnson moving into that position from May 18.
Police and Emergency Services Minister Mick Gentleman said he lobbied for the creation of a deputy commissioner following the summer's devastating bushfires, and an internal review of the crisis which highlighted the significant workload carried by ESA Commissioner Georgeina Whelan.
"We recognised coming out of the last bushfire season the enormous amount of work for ESA Commissioner [Georgeina] Whelan, and Canberrans are well aware of the effort she put in," Mr Gentleman said.
"We didn't have a deputy commissioner in place to support that role should she need to step down for a period of time or move into another area for operational reasons."
Announced as the new Chief Police Officer for the ACT is Neil Gaughan, who holds one of four deputy Commissioner ranks within the Australian Federal Police.
The move takes Assistant Commissioner Johnson out of policing after a 35 year career and just 18 months into the CPO role. It was a role which he loved and described as "the best job in the AFP".
Mr Gentleman said he was pleased to see the appointment of a deputy commissioner into the territory's top police role.
"That opportunity will be provide the ACT a better seat at the table [of the federal police] for the community role and will accelerate that position by moving [the chief police officer role] to deputy commissioner," he said.
"We look forward to Ray [Johnson] staying in the ACT [and] bringing his skills and knowledge across."
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Commissioner Whelan said she was "very happy" to welcome Mr Johnson to the ESA fold.
"Preparedness relies us us being able to review and reflect on our performance, and inform how we can continue to improve," she said.
"Ray and I worked closely during the 2019-20 bushfire season; and I know we will make a great team."
Deputy Commissioner Gaughan is best known publicly in Canberra as the man who last year approved the search warrant on the home of journalist Annika Smethurst.
A product of the AFP College who graduated at the same time as former Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Simon Overland and ACT Commander Mick Chew, he brings a wealth of contemporary investigative knowledge into community policing.
He was a former national manager in charge of counter-terrorism, led the national teams fighting organised crime, and has also led the rising battle against online child exploitation.
Australian Federal Police Association president Angela Smith said members had been frustrated with the "swinging door" of leadership within ACT police.
"We wish someone would sit there for some time and give it the attention it deserves," she said. "Five years [in the role] would be great; sadly people do go in and out of it and it has been happening for some time."
