NSW Police revises CIO role

NSW Police is seeking a new chief information officer following a review of its ICT strategy and governance.

In an advertisement posted this week, Police sought a CIO to develop and deliver a new strategy that would be better aligned with business needs.

The new executive would replace business technology services director Julie Roberts, who left NSW Police on 30 June after almost five years in the position.

A Police spokesman said external consultants had recommended changes be made to the CIO role and the organisation’s management and delivery of ICT.

NSW Police had also moved to establish ICT Governance and Innovation Boards to encourage innovation while supporting policing services.

“In order to deliver on the new ICT Strategy, [Police] is implementing new, improved structures for the governance and management of ICT assets,” the spokesman said.

“The new CIO position will be responsible with aligning ICT with the needs of the business and to enable agile, transparent and effective delivery of ICT.”

According to Police’s job advertisement, the new CIO would take charge of more than 350 ICT staff and a budget of $110 million. Police had a workforce of 20,000 people in more than 450 locations.

The new CIO would report to deputy commissioner of corporate services Catherine Burn and would have a “strong remit for the strategic realignment and refreshment of ICT”.

They would address issues including social media; whole-of-Justice initiatives and emerging technologies such as intelligence-led policing, predictive analytics and biometrics.

Police sought an “experienced and accomplished CIO” who had led the management of mission critical ICT environments in large enterprises.

During her tenure at NSW Police, Roberts said she had reduced annual ICT expenditure by more than $30 million, improved customer service, system availability and reliability and “successfully restructured and delivered several problematic multi-million dollar ICT projects”.