{{Short description|Australian police officer}} {{EngvarB|date=January 2018}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}} {{Infobox police officer | name = Nick Kaldas | honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=AUS|size=100%|sep=,|AO|APM}} | image = | caption = | status = | department = New South Wales Police Force | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1958}} | badge_number = | birth_place = Egypt | allegiance = | service = Australia | service_years = 1981–2016 | rank = Deputy Commissioner | awards = Australian Police Medal | relatives = | alma_mater = | module = }}
'''Naguib''' "'''Nick'''" '''Kaldas''' {{post-nominals|country=AUS|sep=,|AO|APM}} (born 1958) is a former Australian police officer and former deputy commissioner of the New South Wales Police Force. Though considered to be a possible future Commissioner, in March 2016 Kaldas announced his decision to leave the Police Force and currently works for the United Nations.
==Early life== Kaldas was born in Egypt in 1958 to Coptic Australian parents. The family emigrated to Australia in 1969.<ref name="attardinterview">{{cite interview | title=Nick Kaldas | date=27 March 2009 | access-date=15 November 2014 | last=Kaldas | first=Nick | interviewer=Monica Attard | work=Sunday Profile |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation | location=Sydney |url=http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2009/03/27/2527845.htm }}</ref>
==Policing career== In 1981 Kaldas graduated from the New South Wales Police Force's academy. He worked for more than ten years as a hostage negotiator.<ref name="smh-investigation">{{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/andrew-scipione-nick-kaldas-under-investigation-by-police-integrity-commission-20141114-11mwzy.html | title=Andrew Scipione, Nick Kaldas under investigation by Police Integrity Commission | work=The Sydney Morning Herald | date=15 November 2014 | access-date=15 November 2014 | author=Mercer, Neil}}</ref>
While the head of the New South Wales homicide squad, Kaldas was responsible for a number of high-profile murder investigations, including the death of Samantha Knight, the murder of John Newman and the investigation into the murders committed by Sef Gonzales.<ref name="oz-hariri">{{cite news |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/archive/news/aussie-to-head-uns-murder-probe/story-e6frg6o6-1111118361150?nk=23810b39dea2033946047a01b759bb5e | title=Aussie to head UN's murder probe on Hariri | work=The Australian | date=19 December 2008 | access-date=15 November 2014 | author=O'Brien, Natalie}}</ref>
In 2004 Kaldas spent eight months in Iraq where he trained the local police.<ref name="sunherald-profile">{{cite news |url=http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?page=1&sy=nstore&docID=SHD060709UQ3PG6D5NM1 | title=I can understand the anger against US and Australian involvement in Iraq | work=The Sun-Herald | date=9 July 2006 | access-date=15 November 2014 | author=Walker, Frank}}</ref><ref name="sundaytele-iraq">{{cite news | title=How a Sydney police officer rebuilt Iraq's security – Exclusive interview with an Australian hero in Baghdad | work=The Sunday Telegraph | date=22 August 2004 | author=Mercer, Neil}}</ref>
In March 2009 Kaldas was seconded to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon investigating the 2005 assassination of Rafic Hariri. Kaldas chose not to renew his one-year contract in March 2010.<ref name="oz-hariri" /><ref name="nyt-betrayal">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/14/opinion/14young.html| title=A U.N. Betrayal in Beirut | work=The New York Times | date=13 February 2010 | access-date=15 November 2014 | author=Young, Michael | quote=The costliest exit, however, will be that of the chief investigator, Naguib Kaldas, a respected Australian policeman, officially because his contract has ended and he has been promoted at home – though word has it he was expected to renew.}}</ref><ref name="sbs-whokilledhariri">{{cite episode | title=Who Killed Hariri? | series=Dateline | credits=Reporter: Yaara Bou Melhem | network=SBS Television | airdate=2 October 2011 | transcript=Transcript | transcript-url=http://www.sbs.com.au/news/dateline/story/who-killed-hariri}}</ref><ref name="return">{{cite press release |url=http://www.stl-tsl.org/en/media/press-releases/chief-of-investigation-naguib-kaldas-to-return-soon-to-his-home-country-after-a-year-of-service-at-the-office-of-the-prosecutor | title=Chief of Investigation Naguib Kaldas to Return Soon to his Home Country after a Year of Service at the Office of the Prosecutor | publisher=Special Tribunal for Lebanon | date=6 January 2010 | access-date=15 November 2014}}</ref>
On 4 March 2016 Kaldas announced his decision to leave the Police Force. At the time he was considered to be a possible future Police Commissioner, notably due to his unique background, and counter-terrorism experience.<ref name="abc-quits">{{cite news |last1=Kidd|first1=Jessica |title=NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Nick Kaldas to quit after taking leave |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-03-04/nsw-police-nick-kaldas-not-returning-to-job-after-leave/7220604 |access-date=4 March 2016 |publisher=ABC News |date=4 March 2016}}</ref>
In 2017 there were serious calls by many, notably the NSW Opposition and crossbenchers, for Kaldas to be considered to replace Andrew Scipione as Commissioner despite his medical discharge the previous year.<ref>{{Cite news | url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/state-politics/nsw-opposition-push-to-recall-nick-kaldas-as-top-cop/news-story/723e475314c39de35695b0b3b6f52e49?nk=c96d930ec1c13b36d309c285a3b13010-1476936020 | title=Subscribe to the Australian | Newspaper home delivery, website, iPad, iPhone & Android apps| date=24 August 2016}}</ref> This followed wide public dissatisfaction with the most senior contender for the role, Deputy Commissioner Catherine Burn, over her decisions made during the Lindt Cafe Siege, and additionally, her involvement in the now infamous Operation Prospect, which targeted many senior police officers, including Kaldas.{{Citation needed|date=April 2018}}
==Honours and awards== <div class="center">
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In 1997 Kaldas was awarded the National Medal. In 2008 he received the Australian Police Medal.[10][11] <ref name="police.nsw.gov.au">{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141231094253/http://www.mn.catholic.org.au/media/451681/nick_kaldas_flyer_v2.pdf|archive-date=31 Dec 2014|title=Violence, Social Justice and the Police|url=http://www.mn.catholic.org.au/media/451681/nick_kaldas_flyer_v2.pdf}}</ref>
</div> {| class="wikitable" |- |80x20px || Australian Police Medal (APM) || 2008 Queens Birthday Honours<ref name="police.nsw.gov.au"/> |- |80x20px ||Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal|| |- |80x20px || National Police Service Medal || |- |80x20px || National Medal & 1 Bars ||<ref name="police.nsw.gov.au"/> |- | |Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) |2025 King's Birthday Honours<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mr Naguib KALDAS |url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/3054087 |access-date=2025-06-11 |website=Australian Honours Search Facility}}</ref> |}
In addition to awards under the Australian Honours and Awards framework, he also holds a range of internal New South Wales Police Force awards, namely: NSW Police Commissioners Commendation and 3 clasps, NSW Police Medal with 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th clasps; NSWPF Commissioners Unit Citation & star, NSWPF Commissioners Olympic Citation and NSWPF Commissioners Sesquicenten±ary Citation. <ref name="police.nsw.gov.au"/>
== Operation Prospect == In 2012 a controversy developed involving Kaldas and his fellow Special Operations Police Deputy Commissioner Catherine Burn.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/nsw-deputy-commissioner-nick-kaldas-may-face-charges-from-ombudsman-inquiry-20150416-1mmczo.html |title = NSW Deputy Commissioner Nick Kaldas may face charges from Ombudsman inquiry|date = 16 April 2015}}</ref> This became known as Operation Prospect. The controversy raised concerns regarding the Surveillance Devices Act 2007 (NSW). An Ombudsman's report on Prospect was announced in October 2012, and was expected to be completed in six months. {{asof|2015|June}} the investigation was still ongoing, though the final hearings were completed on 31 March 2015. The Acting NSW Ombudsman, John McMillan's, report to Parliament was tabled on 20 December 2016.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-12-20 |title=Operation Prospect - December 2016 |url=https://www.ombo.nsw.gov.au/Find-a-publication/publications/reports-to-parliament/police/operation-prospect-december-2016 |access-date=2024-02-27 |website=Ombudsman New South Wales |language=en}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kaldas, Nick}} Category:1958 births Category:Australian police officers Category:Australian people of Coptic descent Category:Egyptian emigrants to Australia Category:Egyptian people of Coptic descent Category:Officers of the Order of Australia Category:Living people