Nick Kaldas

Naguib "Nick" Kaldas APM (born 1958) is a former Australian police officer and former deputy commissioner of the New South Wales Police Force. Though considered to be a possible future Commissioner, in March 2016 Kaldas announced his decision to leave the Police Force and currently works for the United Nations.

Nick Kaldas

APM
Born1958 (age 64–65)
Egypt
Police career
CountryAustralia
DepartmentNew South Wales Police Force
Service years1981–2016
RankDeputy Commissioner
AwardsAustralian Police Medal

Early life

Kaldas was born in Egypt in 1958 to Coptic Australian parents. The family emigrated to Australia in 1969.[1]

Policing career

In 1981 Kaldas graduated from the New South Wales Police Force's academy. He worked for more than ten years as a hostage negotiator.[2]

While the head of the New South Wales homicide squad, Kaldas was responsible for a number of high-profile murder investigations, including the death of Samantha Knight, the murder of John Newman and the investigation into the murders committed by Sef Gonzales.[3]

In 2004 Kaldas spent eight months in Iraq where he trained the local police.[4][5]

In March 2009 Kaldas was seconded to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon investigating the 2005 assassination of Rafic Hariri. Kaldas chose not to renew his one-year contract in March 2010.[3][6][7][8]

On 4 March 2016 Kaldas announced his decision to leave the Police Force. At the time he was considered to be a possible future Police Commissioner, notably due to his unique background, and counter-terrorism experience.[9]

In 2017 there were serious calls by many, notably the NSW Opposition and crossbenchers, for Kaldas to be considered to replace Andrew Scipione as Commissioner despite his medical discharge the previous year.[10] This followed wide public dissatisfaction with the most senior contender for the role, Deputy Commissioner Catherine Burn, over her decisions made during the Lindt Cafe Siege, and additionally, her involvement in the now infamous Operation Prospect, which targeted many senior police officers, including Kaldas.

Honours and awards

In 1997 Kaldas was awarded the National Medal. In 2008 he received the Australian Police Medal.[10][11] [11]

Australian Police Medal (APM)2008 Queens Birthday Honours[11]
Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal
National Police Service Medal
National Medal & 1 Bars[11]

In addition to awards under the Australian Honours and Awards framework, he also holds a range of internal New South Wales Police Force awards, namely: NSW Police Commissioners Commendation and 3 clasps, NSW Police Medal with 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th clasps; NSWPF Commissioners Unit Citation & star, NSWPF Commissioners Olympic Citation and NSWPF Commissioners Sesquicenten±ary Citation. [11]

Operation Prospect

In 2012 a controversy developed involving Kaldas and his fellow Special Operations Police Deputy Commissioner Catherine Burn.[12] This became known as Operation Prospect. The controversy raised concerns regarding the Surveillance Devices Act 2007 (NSW). An Ombudsman's report on Prospect was announced in October 2012, and was expected to be completed in six months. As of June 2015 the investigation was still ongoing, though the final hearings were completed on 31 March 2015. The report will be tabled in New South Wales Parliament at the first available opportunity.[13]

References
  1. Kaldas, Nick (27 March 2009). "Nick Kaldas". Sunday Profile (Interview). Interviewed by Monica Attard. Sydney: Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  2. Mercer, Neil (15 November 2014). "Andrew Scipione, Nick Kaldas under investigation by Police Integrity Commission". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  3. O'Brien, Natalie (19 December 2008). "Aussie to head UN's murder probe on Hariri". The Australian. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  4. Walker, Frank (9 July 2006). "I can understand the anger against US and Australian involvement in Iraq". The Sun-Herald. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  5. Mercer, Neil (22 August 2004). "How a Sydney police officer rebuilt Iraq's security – Exclusive interview with an Australian hero in Baghdad". The Sunday Telegraph.
  6. Young, Michael (13 February 2010). "A U.N. Betrayal in Beirut". The New York Times. Retrieved 15 November 2014. The costliest exit, however, will be that of the chief investigator, Naguib Kaldas, a respected Australian policeman, officially because his contract has ended and he has been promoted at home – though word has it he was expected to renew.
  7. Reporter: Yaara Bou Melhem (2 October 2011). "Who Killed Hariri?". Dateline. SBS Television. Transcript.
  8. "Chief of Investigation Naguib Kaldas to Return Soon to his Home Country after a Year of Service at the Office of the Prosecutor" (Press release). Special Tribunal for Lebanon. 6 January 2010. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  9. Kidd, Jessica (4 March 2016). "NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Nick Kaldas to quit after taking leave". ABC News. Retrieved 4 March 2016.
  10. "Subscribe to the Australian | Newspaper home delivery, website, iPad, iPhone & Android apps". 24 August 2016.
  11. "Violence, Social Justice and the Police" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 December 2014.
  12. "NSW Deputy Commissioner Nick Kaldas may face charges from Ombudsman inquiry". 16 April 2015.
  13. "Operation Prospect". 30 April 2013.
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