Tasmania Police - Commissioners of Tasmania Police

Commissioners of Tasmania Police

• George Richardson: appointed 1 January 1899, retired 1 Jan 1905.
• Colonel John E C Lord: Born 8 May 1870, acting commissioner from 1905-06. Appointed July 1906. On 10 February 1916 granted leave of absence to serve with the 40th Tasmanian Battalion AIF. Returned on 4 August 1919. Retired 24 November 1940.
• Walter Oakes, MBE RVM: Born Tasmania 29 June 1878, joined Tasmania Police 7 May 1900. Resigned in 1913, served in Army, returned as a Detective Sergeant in 1918. Appointed Commissioner 25 November 1940, retired 26 June 1944.
• Harry Hill: Born Tasmania 7 October 1884. Joined Tasmania Police 18 May 1907. Appointed Commissioner 27 June 1944, retired 17 October 1949.
• Malcolm Dowling: Born Tasmania 19 June 1888, joined Tasmania Police 11 July 1910. Appointed Commissioner 18 October 1949, retired 31 December 1952.
• William Delderfield MVO: Born UK 6 February 1901, joined South Australia Police 1 April 1922. Deputy Commissioner of Tasmania Police 1 December 1949. Appointed Commissioner 1 January 1953, retired 25 September 1965.
• Philip Fletcher, CBE, MVO: Born Victoria 8 July 1914. Joined Tasmania Police 8 October 1935. Appointed Commissioner 25 September 1965, retired 8 July 1974.
• Eric Knowles, QPM: Born 23 August 1914. Joined Tasmania Police 1940. Appointed Commissioner 9 July 1974. Died in office January 1977.
• Max Robinson, AO, QPM: Born 21 February 1929. Joined NSW Police as cadet 1945, transferred to ACT Police 1948. Appointed Commissioner 14 April 1977, took up position 7 May 1977. Retired 31 January 1988.
• William (Bill) Horman, APM: Born 15 August 1939, joined Victoria Police 1956, Vanuatu Police in 1981, Deputy Director Australian Bureau of Criminal Intelligence 1983. Appointed Commissioner 1 February 1988, retired 30 March 1991.
• John Johnson, APM: Born 12 July 1936. Joined Victoria Police 10 May 1957, ACT Police 20 October 1958. Appointed Commissioner 1 July 1991, retired 12 July 1996.
• Richard McCreadie, AO, APM: Born 22 April 1946. Joined Tasmania Police 15 October 1964, Deputy Commissioner January 1991, appointed Commissioner August 1996, retired 7 March 2008.
• Jack Johnston, APM: Joined Tasmania Police 9 February 1968, Deputy Commissioner 1996, appointed Commissioner 8 March 2008. Stood down and bailed to appear in the Tasmanian Supreme Court on 2 February over allegations he disclosed official secrets. His predecessor, Richard McCreadie, was appointed as Acting Commissioner in October 2008, however McCreadie's interim re-appointment was withdrawn after it was realised that Tasmania's Police Service Act states that in circumstances where the Commissioner was not available, that the deputy police commissioner should take his place.
• Darren Hine, APM: Career with Tasmania Police, previously Deputy Commissioner, appointed Commissioner 11 October 2010. Was previously acting Commissioner between 2008 and 2010.