There will be a shake-up of commanders across police districts in the Hunter and on the Central Coast this year, according to an internal memo that has circulated among the ranks.
Superintendent Kylie Endemi will move from Oxley Police District to take charge of Newcastle City Police District after Detective Superintendent Wayne Humphrey moves on. Superintendent Endemi has been in charge of the Tamworth-based command since early 2020, after moving to the area a decade earlier.
Detective Superintendent Humphrey will become commander of the Port Stephens-Hunter Police District, which covers an area from Nelson Bay, through Raymond Terrace and out to Maitland.
Detective Superintendent Humphrey was previously the Northern Region Operations Manager before taking up the Newcastle City commander role in early 2021.
The current chief of the Port Stephens-Hunter Police District, Chad Gillies, will take charge of the Tuggerah Lakes command on the Central Coast. Superintendent Gillies has been in the police force for 27 years and was previously commander of Hunter Valley Police District.
Superintendent Steve Kentwell, the former chief of the Orange-based Central West Police District, will take up a post as boss of the Lake Macquarie Police District.
The Newcastle Herald understands Superintendent Kentwell has recently been relieving as commander at Tuggerah Lakes.
He joined the force in 1983 and was promoted to the rank of superintendent in early 2020.
The reshuffle come after changes further up the chain of command in recent months.
Last November, Karen Webb was named to take over from Mick Fuller in the force's top job. She was sworn in as commissioner in February.
It came after Assistant Commissioner Peter McKenna was put in charge of the NSW Police Northern Region in the middle of last year, following the retirement of Assistant Commissioner Max Mitchell. The NSW Police Northern Region stretches from the Hawkesbury River to the Queensland border and incorporates the Hunter and surrounds.
