We speak with Nick Kaldas, Adjunct Professor, University of Western Sydney about the continuing rise of hate crimes in Australia.

Nick Kaldas held two of the most senior roles in the NSW Police Force executive for well over a decade, serving as Deputy Commissioner and prior to that, Assistant Commissioner. He relieved as Commissioner extensively. His career as a NSW Police Officer spanned almost 35 years.

Nick is currently the Managing Director of a consulting firm, Stratium Global, in Sydney Australia, providing high level security, investigative and governance advice. He holds Adjunct Professorships with Western Sydney University and Charles Sturt University in Australia, as well as lecturing on the National Security College of the Australian National University. He is a member of Operation Kenova’s Independent Steering Committee, the Scotland Yard investigation of numerous murders allegedly committed by the IRA during the ‘troubles’ in Northern Ireland.

Nick was Deputy Commissioner, NSW police Force from 2007 to 2016. He commanded up to 14K staff, and a budget of more than $2 billion. His career has primarily been in major crime investigations and operations, including counter terrorism, protection operations, armed robbery, major drug investigations, covert operations, emergency management, community policing and over a decade in homicide investigations. He was a member of the Australian National Counter Terrorism Committee for 8 years, the peak policy body dealing with Counter Terrorism in Australia. He held the statutory position of State Emergency Operations Controller. He played a key leadership role in protection and related operations in significant national events such as the Sydney Olympics, APEC 2007, World Youth Day, Sydney 2008.

In 2016-2018, he was the Director of Internal Oversight Services in the United Nations Relief Works Agency, (UNRWA) based in Amman, Jordan, leading investigations, audits, evaluation programs and an Ethics Division. He directed all oversight activities and a reporting regime for a staff of more than 30 thousand, and a budget of over US$2 billion, in five fields: Syria, Lebanon, Gaza, West Bank, and Jordan. He travelled extensively in all five fields.

Internationally, Nick was Chief of Investigations in the UN/OPCW Joint Investigative Mechanism, (2016) leading the investigation into the use of chemical weapons in the Syrian conflict; he was also Chief of Investigations, U.N. Special Tribunal for Lebanon, (2009-2010) leading the investigations into the assassinations of P.M. Hariri and 21 others, and Deputy Chief Police Adviser with Coalition Forces in Iraq (2004-5) rebuilding the Iraqi National Police.

Nick holds a Master’s Degree in Public Policy and Administration, and is a graduate of the FBI’s Hostage Negotiation Program, their Leadership In Counter Terrorism Program, and the FBI National Executive Institute, the peak program for law enforcement executives. He has completed the Australian Institute of Police Management Police Executive Leadership program, and the Australian Institute of Company Directors Program. He has received numerous awards, including the Australian Police Medal, the National medal, the Overseas Humanitarian Service medal, and numerous commendations for outstanding performance of duty here and overseas.