Rick Nugent APM has been announced as the new Victorian Emergency Management Commissioner. The appointment is for 5 years, starting 11 September 2023.
Mr Nugent is a skilled emergency management leader with a 35-year career with Victoria Police.
As Deputy Police Commissioner since November 2018, Mr Nugent has provided exceptional leadership in community safety. He has managed more than 12,000 police members across 330 police stations across Victoria.
Mr Nugent has led police operations as State Police Commander for some of Victoria’s major emergencies, including:
- the 2022 October floods, and
- COVID-19 pandemic response.
He has also played key leadership roles in the operational response to:
- the 2019-20 Victorian bushfires
- large-scale protests
- sporting events, and
- other critical incidents.
His recent accomplishments include:
- delivery of the Victoria Police Youth Gang Strategy 2023-2026
- development and implementation of the Victoria Police Drug Strategy 2020-2025
- establishing Community Safety Forums throughout the state, and
- driving a capability uplift in emergency and incident management across the police force.
He succeeds Andrew Crisp AM APM, who has served as Victoria’s Emergency Management Commissioner since 2018. We'd like to thank Mr Crisp for his commitment and contribution to the community, our organisation and sector.
Andrew Crisp will complete his term on 4 August 2023. Deputy Emergency Management Commissioner Chris Stephenson will be acting in the interim.
The department acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the Traditional Custodians of the land and acknowledges and pays respect to their Elders, past and present.