The Australian Federal Police has commissioned a review into how it investigates leaks and other sensitive cases following an outcry from media companies over raids on News Corp and the ABC earlier this year.

AFP commissioner Reece Kershaw, who was appointed in July after predecessor Andrew Colvin retired, acknowledged a need to "improve the processes" in those investigations.

Former Australian Crime Commission boss John Lawler, who is also a former AFP deputy commissioner, will lead the review into how the AFP handles "sensitive investigations" including cases related to leaks, parliamentary privilege, espionage and war crimes.

Mr Kershaw said the review was not an "audit" of how his agency handled its investigations into leaked government information that led to the June raids on the ABC and News Corp political journalist Annika Smethurst. Rather, it would take a "holistic approach" to make sure the right policies and guidelines were in place for sensitive investigations, he said.