DEPUTY police commissioner Gary Burns has been announced as the state's next Police Commissioner, replacing Mal Hyde.

Deputy Commissioner Burns will take over from Mr Hyde, who has held the position since 1997, when he retires on July 20.

Also today, the government has confirmed Correctional Services chief Peter Severin will be taking up a new role in New South Wales, as reported first in The Advertiser yesterday.

A shortlist of five had been in the running for Mr Hyde's position.

They were Mr Burns, Assistant Commissioners Bronwyn Killmier, Grant Stevens and Tony Harrison, and NZ Assistant Commissioner David Cliff.

Mr Burns joined SA Police in 1969 was appointed Deputy Commissioner in 2007.

He was a STAR Group specialist and was awarded the Royal Humane Society gold medal in 1977 and the Australian Bravery Medal in 1978 for the off-duty rescue of a woman from a Moonta house fire.

Mr Burns was appointed assistant commissioner in 2000 and his roles have included operations support, human resources, southern and northern operations commands.

He also spent a year in the Premier's Department to conduct a counter-terrorism review.

Deputy Commissioner Burns, 59, told a press conference today he was "the right person for the job" - even if he will retire within six years, while Mr Hyde served 15 years.

"We've just had a commissioner for 15 years. (To have) a commissioner who will be there for anything between three and five years is suitable because it does give a breath of fresh air into policing,'' he said.

"I think it is good for the taxpayers. Ultimately the taxpayers want the best person for the job and there was a group of people who applied for it and the Government saw fit to appoint me."

A former officer-in-charge of the STAR Group, Mr Burns joined SA Police after leaving Enfield High School aged 16.

He served for three years as a patrol officer in Adelaide before transferring to Kadina in 1975 and Moonta two years later, where he was awarded the Australian Bravery Medal after suffering severe burns when he rescued two elderly women from a house fire.

He said his management style as the new commissioner would be influenced by his career in frontline policing and by his experiences working with the senior executive and with Mr Hyde.

"I've got my ideas that I'm looking to bring in to place. What I'm going to do is take (the ideas) back to the senior executive group ... and actually get their views and input in to it," he said.

"Ultimately, I've got ideas I want to put into place. As a leader in an organisation you take responsibility and accountability of the outcomes of those ideas.

"In broad terms, this is about reducing the amount of victims of crime in South Australia and reducing the amount of people who die and get seriously injured on our roads and to manage emergencies really well.

"Once again, peoples lives and properties are at stake, you always have that there.

"What I'm looking at ... is making sure we maintain the public's trust, maintaining our reputation and keep the (public) confidence levels as high as they are now.

"In doing that I will be looking at a high level of visibility in terms of policing, a closer engagement with the public when it comes to policing, listening to the public in their concerns with policing and problems that police maybe able to fix."

Mr Hyde, 62, became SA's Police Commissioner in 1997 after being deputy commissioner with Victoria Police.

He started his career with Victoria Police in 1966 aged 16 and was later stationed Hamilton, just east of the SA border.

He moved to administration in 1985 and gained qualifications in a number of areas, including a law degree with honours at the University of Melbourne and a masters in business administration.

Mr Burns paid tribute to Mr Hyde's service and said he hoped to build the force further in challenging times.



"My aim is to build on these successes and lead a police organisation that is responsive to the community's needs and expectations while at the same time increasing our visibility and community engagement," he said.



"I'd like to take the opportunity to pay tribute to Commissioner Mal Hyde, who has served in his role with tireless commitment and professionalism for 15 years.



"He has been a strong Commissioner who has led SAPOL through great cultural and structural change."



Mr Hyde said Mr Burns would be an excellent successor.



"Deputy Commissioner Burns has had an outstanding police career," he said.



"He is highly regarded within SAPOL for his extensive experience across operational, policy and executive areas, as well as for his contributions at a national level.



"For the past five years he has served as deputy and in that time offered me great support. I thank him for that contribution and commitment. I am confident he will carry out the duties of his new position with distinction."



Originally published as Deputy becomes state's top cop