Richard Chambers: Police Commissioner on 17 executive-level roles potentially being trimmed from the force

The Police Commissioner says a loss of 17 executive-level roles will have no impact on Police delivery. 

Richard Chambers is opening consultation on a proposal to disestablish 37 executive and support service positions and create 20 new roles.  

He says a restructure will result in a stronger police leadership which is fit for purpose and delivers on his priorities.  

Chambers told Mike Hosking police executives are important, but there are too many of them.  

He says trimming the number will make those left more visible and connected. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Some more jobs to go at the police thirty seven
executive roles this time. Although when you add it all up,
it's a net seventeen loss comes out of comments apparently
last year that a restructure was needed. The Police Commissioner,
Richard Chambers is with this. Richard, very good morning to you.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
Good morning Mike.

Speaker 1 (00:14):
Now for those losing their job, very said news obviously,
and that applies every time it happens. But a net
seventeen's hardly the end of the world and something the
size of the police force, is it.

Speaker 2 (00:23):
Well, we're a big organization and we've got a massive
job to do. But I said on my first day
in this role at the end of November, that there
would be a restructure restructure at some point. I outlined
my priority is very focused on the front line, and
this proposal was about me saying to the organization and
externally what I think we need going forward and invite

(00:43):
some feedback on it.

Speaker 1 (00:44):
So with a net seventeen loss is this is surely
is not about money. It's about organization, isn't it.

Speaker 2 (00:50):
Yeah, absolutely it's not. But this opportunity does allow us
to reinvest in the front line. I've been very clear
that that's a particular priority for me, supporting our front line.
They are the men a woman who deliver police services
across the country, and I believe by trimming down the
executive and putting the resources into the right places that
we get better outcome.

Speaker 1 (01:10):
So what does the next seventeen lost financially mean for
the front line in terms of numbers?

Speaker 2 (01:14):
Then I haven't quantified that, but as part of my priorities,
I've said that supporting thistline in terms of their safety
and their well being, there's two areas that I'm particularly
interested in. They've got a tough job to do, and
so by trimming down the executives and reinvesting those savings
into districts and supporting district commanders as we possibly can be,
that's what they deserve and that's what they'll.

Speaker 1 (01:35):
Be getting under my leaders What did the executive do?
I mean, we think of police, we think of front line.
What do the executive actually do? Is it like any
other business you need an executive to do something?

Speaker 2 (01:44):
Well, yes, we do. Of course we need senior layers
of leadership. I believe that it's bigger than it needs
to be, So by trimming it down and putting that
if into other parts of the organization, we still can
deliver on our function as senior executives. We need to
understand what plee thing looks like across the country. The
chlendis as they face and our job is to enable

(02:04):
the front line. So this is about, you know, putting
emphasis on my priorities, about a visible leadership, and it's
about executive being connected. So we'll trim it down, look
out there and we'll make.

Speaker 1 (02:16):
Good luck with it. Richard Chambers, please appreciate your time.
Zeways Police Commission. For more from the mic Asking Breakfast,
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