Victorian Emergency Management Commissioner
The Emergency Management Commissioner has responsibility for coordination before, during and after major emergencies, including the management of consequences of an emergency.
Rick commenced in the role of Emergency Management Commissioner in September 2023. He is a highly skilled emergency management leader with a distinguished 35-year career with Victoria Police, including serving as Deputy Commissioner, Regional Operations.
As Deputy Police Commissioner since November 2018, Rick has provided exceptional leadership in community safety. He has managed more than 12,000 police members across 330 police stations across Victoria.
Rick has led police operations as State Police Commander for some of Victoria’s major emergencies, including:
-
- the 2022 October floods, and
- COVID-19 pandemic response.
He has also played key leadership roles in the operational response to:
-
- the 2019-20 Victorian bushfires
- large-scale protests
- sporting events, and
- other critical incidents.
His other noted accomplishments include:
-
- delivery of the Victoria Police Youth Gang Strategy 2023-2026
- development and implementation of the Victoria Police Drug Strategy 2020-2025
- establishing Community Safety Forums throughout the state, and
- driving a capability uplift in emergency and incident management across the police force.
Rick’s leadership is underpinned by his ability to connect with those across the sector to understand their challenges, focusing on agencies, volunteers and the critical role they play in keeping the community safe.
Rick is a mental health and wellbeing advocate, and a Police Legacy and Lifeblood ambassador. He is also the President of the Victoria Police Games Federation and a Director on the Board of St John Ambulance Victoria.
