NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Catherine Burn always pictured herself protecting and serving the community as a police officer. Never did she imagine she would be throwing her hat into the ring to replace Andrew Scipione as the state’s next top cop.
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Her father, long-serving Yass general practitioner Dr Ray Burn, believes she was born to the role.
“Catherine left university to join the police and has been a police officer all her working life,” Dr Burn said. “As a young officer she had the highest arrest and conviction rate in her station from diligent work.”
Ms Burn grew up in Sydney and joined the NSW Police Force when she was 19 years old. She was one year into an economics degree when she decided to follow her heart and make the switch to policing. She has never looked back.
“When I was very young, I had an interest in policing and an interest in getting involved in the type of work that police do. I wanted to make a difference and help the community in times of crisis and emergency and I wanted to do it for as long as I can remember,” the Deputy Commissioner told the Yass Tribune.
Ms Burn has served in a number of roles, from general duties officer to detective in homicide, where she found herself most at home, as a local area commander and in her current role as Deputy Commissioner of Special Operations where she has overseen counter-terrorism strategy at a critical time in NSW policing.
After seven years as Scipione’s deputy, Ms Burn has put up her hand to take over when the Commissioner retires in April. If successful in her application, she will become the state’s first female appointment to the role.
“I would regard it as a great honour and a duty to continue to build on the outstanding progress we have made in recent times by serving the community of NSW as their Police Commissioner, but that is for others to decide,” Ms Burn said in a statement to the media.
Her application does not come without some scrutiny. She was the team leader of an internal affairs unit investigating police corruption allegations more than 15 years ago that involved the bugging of officers and civilians.
In response to the public criticisms, Ms Burn said the Ombudsman’s report into the long-running bugging affair had “in many ways exonerated the serious criticisms” levelled at her and that “it was now up to others to judge”.
“While mistakes occurred… I can say with complete confidence that, at all times, I performed my role conscientiously, ethically, honestly and in accordance with my oath of office, statement of values and the law,” she said.
The Deputy Commissioner was also called to give evidence in the Lindt Cafe siege coronial inquest, for which the findings are expected to be handed down soon.
Speaking to the Yass Tribune, Ms Burn’s pride and passion for the job was palpable.
“I think I’m most proud of being a police officer and every day getting to contribute to making NSW safe,” she said. “I’m proud of that and I wouldn’t have wanted to do anything else.
“I thought homicide was the bee's knees, that was fantastic, and everything else has just been an absolute bonus.”
Ms Burn listed her involvement in the rejuvenation of Redfern and her work as a homicide detective as some of her proudest achievements.
Ms Burn is also the step-daughter of former Yass Valley councillor, Ann Daniel, Dr Burn’s wife. She enjoys visiting Yass and although she grew up in Sydney and has mostly worked at metropolitan posts, has great respect for her country counterparts.
“Unfortunately, I don’t get to Yass as much as I would like to. When I do, I always like to drop in and visit the local police. They do a fantastic job,” she said.
