Police Commissioner Grant Stevens has announced the appointment of John De Candia APM as an Assistant Commissioner of Police.
One of South Australia's most experienced police officers, Assistant Commissioner De Candia has extensive experience in general and specialist crime areas including the Organised Crime Investigation Branch, Drug Investigation Branch and Crime Gangs Task Force.
A veteran of 36 years in SA Police, Assistant Commissioner De Candia joined as a cadet in 1989 and worked general patrols in the metropolitan area and Port Pirie before joining the CIB and working in areas including Port Adelaide and Adelaide CIB and the Organised Crime Task Force.
Since being appointed a commissioned officer in 2005 he has managed areas including the Anti-Corruption Branch, Drug Investigation Branch, Crime Training Section and Organised Crime Investigation Branch as an Inspector and commanded the Crime Gangs Task Force, Investigation Support Branch and the Eastern Adelaide Local Service Area as a Superintendent.
He is currently SAPOL's longest-serving Chief Superintendent.
Commissioner Stevens said Assistant Commissioner De Candia's extensive operational and management experience over more than three decades ensured he was well qualified for the significant role.
"John has displayed exceptional leadership not just as an Acting Assistant Commissioner, but in each of the investigative and operational units he has had command of over the past 20 years,'' he said.
"I am confident he will serve the South Australian community exceptionally well as a member of the Executive Leadership Team well into the future.''
The appointment of a new Assistant Commissioner follows the funding of a recommendation of the Royal Commission into Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence to establish a new service within SA Police to investigate and manage domestic violence.
No decision has been made on which Assistant Commissioner will head the new service and Assistant Commissioner De Candia, who has been Acting Assistant Commissioner Metropolitan Operations Service for the past 13 months, will remain in that position for the time being.
Assistant Commissioner De Candia has spent more than two and a half years as an Acting Assistant Commissioner across the Metropolitan Operations Service, State Operations Service, Security and Emergency Management Service and the Governance and Capability Service.
Assistant Commissioner De Candia said his formal appointment was "an honour''.
"It is a proud moment for me and my family. I look forward continuing to serve SAPOL and the community of South Australia for many years to come,'' he said.
