A controversial appointment to head up media operations at NSW Police has been reversed within weeks of the recruit being announced.
Former Seven News producer Steve Jackson was hired to fill the role of executive director of public affairs at the nation's largest police force on an interim basis.
But in a statement on Thursday, NSW Police said it had "ceased the temporary appointment" for the role.
"To best serve the interests of the NSW Police and community, the executive director, public affairs branch needs to be able to fulfil the duties of the role free from external distractions and ongoing media attention," the statement said.
"The current arrangements for the role will continue for the time being."
Mr Jackson's appointment has come under intense scrutiny, partially due to his friendship with Police Minister Yasmin Catley's chief of staff, Ross Neilson.
NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb earlier admitted she had asked Mr Neilson, who once ran the media unit, for references for the role as she did not have a lot of connections in the industry.
They included a suggestion to interview Mr Jackson, which she followed up.
"Then we went through a process where we compared his skills against what we were looking for and so that's how we've landed here," Ms Webb previously said.
Mr Jackson was appointed on an interim, six-month basis while a broader recruitment process to find a permanent replacement in the role was completed, she said.
Ms Webb sacked her previous media chief after widespread criticism of her public response to the case of Beau Lamarre-Condon, a serving NSW officer accused of murdering two men with his service weapon.
