Assistant Commissioner Brett McFadden APM has today concluded an extraordinary policing career, taking an extended period of leave prior to retiring from the NSW Police Force after four decades of dedicated service to the people of New South Wales.
Colleagues, friends, and family gathered at Liverpool City Council Chambers today (Friday 2 October 2026) to farewell the South West Metropolitan Region Commander, celebrating a career defined by exceptional leadership and a commitment to developing future generations of police officers.
Joining the NSW Police Force in 1987, Assistant Commissioner McFadden began his career as a Probationary Constable at Castle Hill Police Station.
Ten years later in 1998 he was designated as a Detective and transferred to the Internal Affairs Investigation Unit, before being promoted to the rank of Detective Inspector in 2002.
He was promoted to Superintendent in 2010 as the Commander of Holroyd Local Area Command, before transferring to the Penrith Local Area Command in 2013.
In 2017, then Superintendent McFadden led the formation of the Nepean Police Area Command.
In 2020, Superintendent McFadden moved to Fairfield City Police Area Command and led that Command and Community through the difficult COVID-19 pandemic.
In April 2022, Assistant Commissioner McFadden was promoted to Commander of Traffic and Highway Patrol Command, where he oversaw statewide road policing and safety initiatives. Later that year, his distinguished service was recognised with the award of the Australian Police Medal.
Since 2024, he has led the South West Metropolitan Region as Commander.
Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism Yasmin Catley said Assistant Commissioner McFadden has left an indelible mark on the NSW Police Force.
"For almost 40 years, Assistant Commissioner McFadden has put on the uniform and served the people of NSW. That is an extraordinary commitment to public service," Minister Catley said.
"When the Assistant Commissioner marches out for the final time, he leaves behind a legacy carried forward by the officers who had the privilege of serving alongside him."
"He should be very proud of his service. I thank him for his dedication to the NSW Police Force and wish him all the best in retirement."
Commissioner Mal Lanyon has thanked Assistant Commissioner Brett McFadden for his four decades of service.
"Assistant Commissioner McFadden has been an exceptional leader, both within the NSW Police Force and within the communities he has served.
"As the Commander of South West Metropolitan Region, Assistant Commissioner McFadden has led one of the busiest, diverse and operationally challenging policing regions in the state.
"In his most recent role as the Multicultural Corporate Sponsor, he has shown incredible support of culturally and linguistically diverse communities, and through the development of the Language+ Application tool, his contribution has left a lasting legacy.
"I wish Assistant Commissioner McFadden all the best in his well-earned retirement," Commissioner Lanyon said.
Assistant Commission McFadden said he joined the police to take on the crooks, do something different each day and keep the community safe wherever he could.
"Over the years, my role and responsibilities may have changed, but at the core of it all, it was about doing what I could for the community," Assistant Commissioner McFadden said.
"I have been most fortunate to work with many police over the years who shared these ideals and I am very grateful for their support and friendship during my career. I look forward to exploring a freedom phase of life with friends and family, knowing police will continue the work that was important to me."
Notable achievements:
- Assistant Commissioner McFadden was awarded the Commissioner's Perpetual Award for the Advancement of Women in Policing in 2017 as a mentor.
- He has been involved in a wide range of training and mentoring programs; Sergeant's and Superintendent's Development Programs, Inspector's Transition Program, Incident Commander's Course, Critical Incident Course and Women's Leadership Program, Terrorism Investigations Course and the Mastery Program as a visiting fellow.
- Assistant Commissioner McFadden has made significant contributions to organisational reform through the development and implementation of key NSW Police Force policies and operational frameworks.
- As Commander of the Traffic and Highway Patrol Command, he led a comprehensive program of operational, technological and legislative reform aimed at reducing the incidence and impact of impaired driving across New South Wales.
- Assistant Commissioner McFadden strengthened the response to fatal and serious injury crashes by expanding specialist Crash Investigation Unit capability, refining interagency and joint-investigation protocols, and championing a more structured, compassionate and victim-centred Family Liaison model.
- As the NSWPF Multicultural Corporate Sponsor, Assistant Commissioner McFadden supported engagement with diverse communities through extensive participation in community forums, government committees, and stakeholder engagement initiatives.
- His commitment to innovation and community engagement was demonstrated through the development of the Language+ Application, a tool which assists police in communicating with non-English speaking community members. Designed specifically for police use, the application has transformed frontline policing interactions with non-English speaking community members. On 17 November 2025 the Language+ App won the Connecting Communities with Emergency Services category at the 2025 Premier's Awards.
