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Commissioner Webb did not engage in serious misconduct but NSW Police Force needs a policy on corporate gifts – LECC Operation Askern report tabled today
Friday, 10 April 2026
The Law Enforcement Conduct Commission recommended that the NSW Police Force develop a policy to govern the acquisition and distribution of gifts by the Commissioner of Police and to consider the appropriateness of alcohol being used as corporate gifts, in a report tabled in Parliament today.
In Operation Askern, the Commission found that former Commissioner of Police, Karen Webb, had authorised the purchase of 50 bottles of Commissioner’s Gin for the purpose of distributing them as commemorative gifts to dignitaries and other persons.
Commissioner Webb did not select the supplier of the gin, but at some point she learnt that the gin had come from Hope Estate, which was owned and operated by a friend. Commissioner Webb accepted during hearings before the Commission that on learning of Hope Estate’s involvement, she should have declared a potential conflict of interest.
The Commission did not find serious misconduct on the part of Commissioner Webb in relation to the acquisition and distribution of the Commissioner’s Gin or the information she provided to the Commission in the course of its investigations.
The report notes that several Commissioners of Police had given bottles of alcohol as commemorative gifts and Commissioner Webb continued that tradition. There were no guidelines within the NSW Police Force governing the acquisition, distribution and record keeping associated with corporate gifts. A register recording the recipients of the Commissioner’s Gin was created during Commissioner Webb’s tenure.
The Commission recommended that a written policy be drafted to govern the acquisition and distribution of Commissioner’s gifts which could be included in any operational handover document between Commissioners of Police and their staff.
A copy of the Commission’s report is available on our website.
LECC Media