Tough talk from new top cop on tempestuous first day

The new police commissioner’s tough talk began his tempestuous first day, as Mal Lanyon warned domestic violence perpetrators to be afraid, said public disorder was in his sights, and argued police needed to be “seen to be really strong”.

Lanyon takes over from Karen Webb, whose tenure was cut short amid white-anting from her colleagues and criticism, particularly from sections of the media, that her timidity in front of cameras was leaving a vacuum at the top of the police force.

He said he wanted to be known for strong leadership. “Leadership is really for me about standing up, communicating,” he told the Herald. “I don’t necessarily think there’s [been a] vacuum. I think there’s a really big opportunity.”

After months of speculation, rumours and bitter factional politics at the top of the NSW Police Force, Labor appointed Lanyon on Wednesday. He is a police deputy commissioner but has been on secondment to the Reconstruction Authority since April last year.

But Lanyon’s first press conference was spent defending his reputation amid intense questioning about a 2021 drunken incident in Goulburn, in which he told ambulance officers to “f--- off” and called their boss, and a 2023 New Year’s Eve trip with friends on an operational police boat.

Lanyon said he was now mindful of his drinking and practised moderation, and acknowledged his past misjudgements.

“I have made mistakes in the past, and I’ve been open about [them],” he said. “I’ve always sought to learn from those experiences and to lead with honesty and accountability. Public confidence is earned, not just by … results but by consistency and transparency.”

Lanyon told the Herald he had never leaked – against Webb or anyone else – but did have close relationships with journalists, which was “really my role as a senior police officer”. He said he would be naive to think there would not be leaks against him.

He will officially take the reins on October 1. Lanyon has the support of the powerful NSW Police Association, as well as the NSW MP who is most vocal on police matters, former detective and upper house member Rod Roberts.

Lanyon had been favourite for the police commissioner job when it was last vacant in late 2021, but his candidacy was derailed by the Goulburn incident.

Premier Chris Minns said he did not make his decision based on who had the mistake-free record. He has previously said the commissioner did not need to be lily-white. “For me, it was based on who I believe should be in the commissioner’s chair on NSW’s worst day,” he said.

Police Minister Yasmin Catley and Lanyon denied suggestions of a rift between them. “I have the greatest respect for the minister,” he said.

Lanyon takes the reins after his predecessor Webb left 18 months before her term was due to finish, making her the first commissioner since the Wood royal commission to have her tenure cut short of the standard five years.

While Minns says it was her decision, multiple political and police sources say he encouraged her to go and intended Lanyon to be her replacement.

Lanyon said he would try to unify the police executive, which has been compared with political drama Game of Thrones because of relentless in-fighting over the commissioner’s job, which dates back decades.

When asked why the fighting over the job had been so intense, Lanyon said “there’s no greater honour that a police officer can have … It only comes up once every five years … it’s hotly contested.”

He also said his priorities were police recruitment, domestic violence, organised crime, making the community safer and reducing public disorder.

When asked how he would approach domestic violence differently to Webb, he said that there needed to be a message that it was unacceptable.

“We need to be seen to be really strong, and we’re not tolerating it,” he said. “I want perpetrators to be afraid. I want them to know that the police are going to target them if they are going to hurt people in a domestic and family violence situation.”

He denied the police force had a blokey culture, but said there had long been more men than women, and the proportion of women should be increased. He stopped short of pledging to publicly release an independent cultural review that is due early next year, saying he will discuss it with the minister.

Lanyon grew up in Rydalmere and cut his police teeth in the old eighth division, a once-rough area that took in Glebe, Balmain and Leichhardt (which also produced fellow deputy Dave Hudson and influential former deputy Nick Kaldas).

He has held senior jobs within the organisation, including head of the State Crime Command and corporate services. He remains close to Hudson, who did not put himself forward for the top job.

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