The way in which the NSW Police Force is held to account could be about to change.
A review, headed by former shadow Attorney-General Andrew Tink, began on Thursday and will look at ways of streamlining the system.
It will consider introducing a single civilian model, replacing the current system in which seven agencies have some form of oversight function.
The review comes after the recommendation of an overhaul by a report into a long-running police bugging scandal.
For about 15 years, the saga, which involved police officers being targeted in warrants for phone taps, has shadowed the force and its high-ranking officers.
Current Deputy Commissioner Nick Kaldas was one of those targeted in the bugging operation - codenamed Mascot in 2000.
Fellow deputy Catherine Burn was part of the team that oversaw the internal affairs corruption probe.
It has been the root of deep tension between the top brass ever since.
A parliamentary inquiry heard earlier this year warrants for the phone taps were based on inappropriate or false information.
Several agencies have carried out investigations into Mascot, including the police force in an internal probe, the Police Integrity Commission and the NSW Ombudsman.
The ombudsman, whose handling of the scandal was the centre of a recent parliamentary committee inquiry, is yet to hand down the findings of his investigation.
The committee recommended the creation of one oversight body to deal with police complaints.
Acting premier and police minister Troy Grant said there were no less than seven agencies with some sort of police oversight function at present.
"The community and police need to have confidence in a strong, effective system that upholds the highest standards of behaviour and integrity, while allowing police to get on with the job," he said in a statement on Thursday.
Mr Tink will look at gaps in the current system and models in place in other countries before reporting back to the government.
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