The acting chief commissioner will not seek Victoria Police’s top job, as another candidate reveals she is yet to decide whether to throw her hat in the ring.
Acting Chief Commissioner Tim Cartwright will resign from the force when a replacement for former chief commissioner Ken Lay is found, he announced on Wednesday.
And Deputy Commissioner Lucinda Nolan is yet to decide whether to apply for the job, saying her chances of contending are no better than 50-50.
Ms Nolan said she had to consult with her three adult children, and her husband, who is also a police officer, before deciding whether to apply for the role.
“It’s certainly a consideration given my current position, but it’s such a huge step,” she said on Radio 3AW on Wednesday morning.
The departure of Mr Cartwright, Mr Lay, and Deputy Commissioner Graham Ashton, who left Victoria Police to rejoin the Australian Federal Police last month, had contributed to a sense of “uncertainty” in the force, Ms Nolan said.
“It’s a huge change. The issue for us, for Tim and I particularly, is to keep the momentum going.
“We’ve got the heightened security issues, the family violence issues, the ice issues, things we need to keep the momentum going [with] to make sure we don’t take our eye off the ball.”
Mr Lay stood down last month, with two years left on his contract, to support his wife Chris through an illness.
Ms Nolan said she had spoken to her former boss, and that for he and Chris it was a case of “so far, so good”.
Mr Lay replaced Simon Overland, and also took several weeks to decide whether to become a candidate for chief commissioner.
