Katarina Carroll

Commissioner Katarina Carroll APM
Commissioner of the Queensland Police Service
In office 8 July 2019 – 1 March 2024
Preceded by	Ian Stewart
Succeeded by	Steve Gollschewski
Commissioner of Queensland Fire and Emergency Services
In office 1 August 2015 – 5 June 2019
Preceded by	Lee Johnson
Succeeded by	Greg Leach
Personal details
Born	Katarina Ruzh Bošnjak (1963-11-17) 17 November 1963 (age 61) Innisfail, Queensland, Australia
Alma mater	Griffith University
Occupation	Police officer

Katarina Ruzh Carroll (nee Bošnjak) APM (born 17 November 1963) is a retired Australian police officer and was the Commissioner of the Queensland Police Service (QPS) from July 2019 to March 2024. She is the first female commissioner of QPS. She was formerly the Commissioner of the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services from August 2015 until July 2019. On 20 February 2024, Carroll announced she would not seek an extension to her contract and would step down as of Friday 1 March 2024.[1]

Early life and education

Carroll was born on 17 November 1963 in Innisfail, Queensland, to Bosnian Croat parents, Ivan and Antonia Bošnjak from Ljubuški and Trebižat, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and raised on a tobacco farm in Innot Hot Springs.[2][3] She was educated at Mount Garnet State School, and then boarded at Mount St Bernard College, Herberton before completing an associate diploma in community welfare at James Cook University in Townsville.[4] She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in criminology and criminal justice from Griffith University, which awarded her its Outstanding Alumnus Award in 2018.[5]

Career

Carroll joined the Queensland Police Service in 1983, working in general duties, then as a detective in the drug squad, crime operations and ethical standards.[2][6] She was awarded the Australian Police Medal in the 2008 Australia Day Honours.[7] In 2014, Carroll served as Operations Commander for the G20 summit in Brisbane.[4]

Carroll joined the new Queensland Fire and Emergency Services in December 2014 as acting commissioner,[8] and was officially appointed to the role on 1 August 2015.[9]

On 23 April 2019, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced that Carroll would succeed Ian Stewart as Commissioner of Queensland Police upon Stewart's retirement in July 2019. Carroll was appointed Commissioner of the Queensland Police Service on 8 July.[10]

In October 2019 Carroll was named one of The Australian Financial Review's 100 Women of Influence in the Public Policy category.[11]

On 12 February 2024, Carroll was invited to address the Queensland Cabinet where she sought for more police powers to tackle rising crime.[12] On 20 February 2024, Carroll announced her resignation from her position on 1 March 2024, rather than seeking an extension in the position.[1][13]

Honours and awards

Carroll wears the following Australian and Queensland awards and unit citations on the uniform:

Honours and awards
	Australian Police Medal (APM)
	National Emergency Medal
	National Police Service Medal
	National Medal
	Queensland Police Meritorious Service Medal
	Queensland Police Exemplary Conduct Medal (with category clasp)
	Queensland Police Service Medal (with relevant years of service clasp)
	G20 Citation
	Commonwealth Games Citation
	2010–2011 Queensland Flood and Cyclone Citation
	QPS 150 Years Citation

See also

• Women in law enforcement

References

1. "Live Moment: Queensland's police commissioner to step down from top job, says it is time for 'new leadership'". ABC News. 19 February 2024. Archived from the original on 21 February 2024. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
2. "Bosnian Katarina Carroll is the First Female Commissioner of Police in Queensland". Sarajevo Times. 24 April 2019. Archived from the original on 16 June 2019. Retrieved 16 June 2019.
3. Who's Who in Australia. ConnectWeb. 2019.
4. "Meet our G20 peacemaker". The Courier-Mail. 12 November 2014. Archived from the original on 10 January 2020. Retrieved 16 June 2019.
5. "Katarina Carroll". Griffith University. Archived from the original on 16 June 2019. Retrieved 16 June 2019.
6. "Katarina Carroll appointed Queensland Police Commissioner". Queensland Government ministerial statement. The State of Queensland (Premier and Minister for Trade). 23 April 2019. Archived from the original on 12 May 2020. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
7. "Superintendent Katarina Ruzh CARROLL". honours.pmc.gov.au. Australian Government. Archived from the original on 16 June 2019. Retrieved 16 June 2019.
8. "Katarina Carroll: bringing QFES into the 21st century". The Mandarin. 9 October 2015. Archived from the original on 16 June 2019. Retrieved 16 June 2019.
9. "QEFS executive profiles". Fire and Emergency Services. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 16 June 2019. Retrieved 16 June 2019.
10. Horn, Allyson (23 April 2019). "'A privilege and honour': Katarina Carroll appointed new Qld Police Commissioner". ABC News. Archived from the original on 28 May 2019. Retrieved 16 June 2019.
11. "AFR's 11 most influential women revealed". Australian Financial Review. 22 October 2019. Archived from the original on 5 July 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
12. Bolton, Meg; Black, Jessica (12 February 2024). "Queensland police ask for more search powers, government to bring forward ban on selling knives to minors". ABC News. Archived from the original on 15 March 2024. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
13. "Queensland's top cop may exit role". www.9news.com.au. 20 February 2024. Archived from the original on 20 February 2024. Retrieved 20 February 2024.

Fire appointments
Preceded by Lee Johnson	Commissioner of the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services 2015–2019	Succeeded by Greg Leach
Police appointments
Preceded by Ian Stewart	Commissioner of the Queensland Police Service 2019–2024	Succeeded by Steve Gollschewski