New South Wales next police commissioner Mal Lanyon has defended his suitability for the force’s top job after he was named as Karen Webb’s replacement on Wednesday. Standing alongside the NSW premier, Chris Minns, and the state police minister Yasmin Catley, Lanyon came under intense questioning over two incidents which had raised questions over his suitability for the role. He had been a deputy police commissioner since 2019, and had been considered among the frontrunners for the commissioner role in 2021 when Webb took the reins. Lanyon said, as commissioner, he will be focused on tackling organised crime, youth crime and “strengthening community safety in our regions, and supporting victims of domestic and family violence. “I also want to strengthen the culture of the New South Wales police force, [and] cultivate a culture of respect, professionalism, and fairness,” he said.