| Peter Ryan QPM BA MSc |
|
|---|---|
| 19th Commissioner of New South Wales Police | |
| In office 30 August 1996 – 17 April 2002 |
|
| Preceded by | Tony Lauer |
| Succeeded by | Ken Moroney |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 18 May 1944 Lancaster, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom |
| Spouse(s) | Barbara (1965–1974; divorced) Adrienne Butterworth (1985–2005; divorced) |
| Alma mater | Macquarie University |
Peter James Ryan, QPM (born 18 May 1944)[1] is a former British police officer, who was the Commissioner of New South Wales Police in Australia from 1996 to 2002.
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Ryan was born in 1944 in Lancaster to Laurence and Maureen Ryan.[2]
Ryan joined Lancashire Constabulary on 16 January 1961 as a police cadet. He completed the training course at Bruche Police National Training Centre in 1963, and on 19 May was given his first posting as a probationer in Little Hulton on the outskirts of Manchester. In 1968, Ryan was one of the first intake of police officers into the new University of Lancaster, and upon graduation with a Bachelor of Arts he was promoted to Sergeant, and in 1973 was promoted to Inspector stationed at the Lancashire's headquarters in Preston.[2]
Ryan joined the Metropolitan Police Service in London, and was Chief Superintendent at Chelsea Police Station during the Harrods bombing in December 1983.[3]
He was Chief Constable of Norfolk Constabulary and was the first National Director of Police Training at the Police Staff College, Bramshill prior to his appointment to the New South Wales Police in Australia.
Peter Ryan was recruited to the position from an international pool of applicants following the controversial Wood Royal Commission into Corruption of the NSW Police Service that ran from 1995 to 1997. Ryan was appointed by the New South Wales Labor Premier Bob Carr. Prior to coming to Australia, Ryan had risen rapidly to very senior roles in British police ranks. His British career culminated as the Head of National Police Training.
Following his departure from the NSW Police Service, Ryan has worked on a number of consulting projects. He is a security expert for the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and was the Principal Security Advisor to the ATHOC (Athens Olympic Games Organising Committee).
Ryan was covered widely by the Australian media and is the subject of the 2003 biography, Peter Ryan: The Inside Story, by Sydney author, Sue Williams.
Ryan has been appointed an Officer of the Order of St John (OStJ), and awarded the Queen's Police Medal (QPM), NSW Police Ministers Olympic Commendation, NSW Police Commissioners Olympic Citation and the Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (for service in the UK Police Forces). He has a Masters Degree in Science and an Honorary Doctorate in Law from Macquarie University, Sydney.
Ryan married his second wife Adrienne Ryan (née Butterworth), who moved to Sydney with him upon his appointment as Police Commissioner. They separated, and divorced in 2005. While she continues to reside in Australia, Ryan has since moved back to the UK.
| Police appointments | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Tony Lauer |
Commissioner of New South Wales Police 1996–2002 |
Succeeded by Ken Moroney |