Leadership overhaul at Corrective Services

WA Police assistant commissioner Brad Royce has been revealed as Corrective Services commissioner at the Department of Justice following a rapid overhaul of the management structure.

Corrective Services Minister Paul Papalia announced Mr Royce’s appointment at a press conference this morning, citing the need for cultural change within the corrective services system.

“Commissioner Royce is renowned for his strong leadership skills and for being a forthright individual who is known to care for those in his command,” Mr Papalia said.

“He has, in the past, set high standards and expected them to be delivered. He is an excellent leader and someone known to be able to effect cultural change.

“That’s why he’s been appointed.”

A 30-year WA police veteran, Mr Royce climbed the policing ranks from recruitment in 1994 through a range of high-profile roles culminating in his appointment as assistant commissioner.

Mr Royce said his appointment had been quite rapid, and that he had been in talks on the role for the last day or two.

He said his immediate focus would be on culture within the organisation.

“For me it’s all about leadership in large, complex organisations,” Mr Royce said.

“People are doing a really tough job, and if you don’t give them what they need, and if you don’t support them, then you end up with what you deserve.

“A lot of my time at the beginning [will be] just getting to know the business and get to know the people and we’ll go from there.”

He did not confirm the length of his appointment but said it was not a difficult decision to take the role.

Despite announcing a new commissioner, Mr Papalia would not confirm the future role of Corrective Services commissioner Mike Reynolds, who is less than two years into a five-year role.

“He’s still in employment of the Department of Justice, but … where he’s employed and what his role is is a matter for the director general,” Mr Papalia said.

“There’s plenty of big projects, there’s plenty of tasks for research and strategically focused work that could easily accommodate the employment of someone of that calibre.”

The rapid appointment of Mr Royce comes weeks following the death of 16-year-old detainee Cleveland Dodd following a self-harm incident at the Unit 18 youth detention facility at Casuarina Prison, which has sparked widespread public outcry.

It was later revealed a guard had been suspended pending an internal inquiry, following unconfirmed reports that guard was asleep during the incident.

Mr Papalia also revealed the government would create a new deputy commissioner focused on juveniles.

This position is yet to be filled.

Speaking on the appointment, opposition corrective services spokesperson Peter Collier said Mr Reynolds had been made a scapegoat for Corrective Services' failures. 

"Without a shadow of a doubt it's panic," he said. 

"Mike Reynolds has been used as a scapegoat. He's a sacrificial lamb for the incompetence of the Labor government and Corrective Services, make no bones about it."

A review into Corrective Services infrastructure remains before cabinet, but Mr Papalia said decisions on future infrastructure requirement were not far away.

“We want to get moving on establishing a place suitable, designed from the ground up for this really challenging, complex and dangerous cohort,” he said.

Unit 18 was repurposed for juvenile detention in mid-2022, following a series of incidents and riots which damaged the state’s only dedicated youth detention centre Banksia Hill.