Western Australia's new police chief Chris Dawson used to be outgoing commissioner Karl O'Callaghan's deputy, but he has a far different background.
Mr Dawson's 30-year-plus career in policing has included extensive periods tackling crime and terrorism.
Mr O'Callaghan's career was less in crime and concentrated in traffic, investigating fellow police in internal affairs, completing a PhD and then moving up the ranks through senior and strategic and corporate roles.
WA Premier Mark McGowan described Mr Dawson as "one of the most accomplished police officers in the entirety of the country".
The position of police commissioner is often regarded as the second-most high-profile in a state, behind the premier.
Mr Dawson is returning home after more than three years running the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, which has wide powers from questioning suspected jihadis to combating the international drug trade and gangs.
In WA, he was deputy commissioner for 10 years and responsible for serious and organised crime and counter-terrorism.
He headed the biggest security operation in WA Police history - the 2011 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Perth.
He has been handed a five-year term starting on August 16.
While terrorism is viewed in WA as more of a problem in Sydney and Melbourne, the abuse of the drug methamphetamine, or "ice", and the associated violence and crime is significant and usage is the highest in the nation.
That was confirmed by research last week.
Tackling the meth trade and domestic violence should be urgent priorities, Mr McGowan said while announcing his appointment.
"Methamphetamine continues to wreak havoc in our community and we will work together with Mr Dawson to implement our Meth Action Plan, along with our 100-strong Meth Border Force, to interrupt the supply of meth into WA," he said.
Mr Dawson did not take questions but said his favourite phrase in policing was "doing your duty".
"We must be relentless in protecting the vulnerable and we must exercise our powers with fairness in serving the community and bringing justice to all," he told reporters.
Rank and file police are currently in a pay dispute that has involved industrial action.
Mr O'Callaghan departs this month after 13 years, making him the longest-serving WA police commissioner in 84 years and third-longest in history.
He has been outspoken in recent days, blaming a lack of government funding in forensics for a slow turnaround in processing evidence and has called for an expansion of the cashless welfare program, saying pedophiles in Pilbara Aboriginal communities were using welfare payments to bribe children for sex.
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