South Australia Police (SAPOL) is part of the Justice Portfolio of the Government of South Australia and operates under a legislative framework prescribed under the Police Act.

SAPOL is led by the Commissioner of Police, who reports directly to the Minister for Police.

The Commissioner of Police

The Commissioner of Police, Malcolm Hyde APM, has responsibility for the control and management of SAPOL and together with members of the Senior Executive Group, oversees all activities within the organisation.

The Senior Executive Group consists of

• Commissioner of Police
• Deputy Commissioner of Police
• Assistant Commissioner Crime Service
• Assistant Commissioner Southern Operations Service
• Assistant Commissioner Northern Operations Service
• Assistant Commissioner Operations Support Service
• Assistant Commissioner Protective Security Service
• Assistant Commissioner Performance Management and Reporting Service
• Assistant Commissioner Human Resources Service
• Director Information Systems & Technology Service
• Director Business Service.

Reporting directly to the Commissioner are the

• Deputy Commissioner
• Assistant Commissioner Crime Service
• Assistant Commissioner Operations Support Service
• Assistant Commissioner Performance Management and Reporting Service
• Director Business Service.

The Commissioner also has direct responsibility for the following areas that comprise the Commissioners Service

• Executive Support Branch
• Corporate Communication Branch
• Anti Corruption Branch.

In addition, the Commissioner has a number of other responsibilities that include

• Membership of National Common Police Services Boards of Control which are managed at a national level, namely the Australasian Centre for Policing Research, Australian Institute of Police Management and the National Crime Statistics Unit.
• State Coordinator under the State Emergency Management Act.
• Registrar of Firearms.
• Chair, Police Commissioners Drug's Committee.
• Chair, Board of Management - Australian High Tech Crime Centre.
• Member of the Senior Officers Group to the Australian Police Ministers Council.
• Member, Justice Portfolio Leaders Group.
• Member, Chief Executives Co-ordinating Committee on Drugs.
• Member of the Conference of Commissioners of Police of Australasia and the South-West Pacific Region.
• Board member, Australian Crime Commission.
• Member of Australasian Police Professional Standards Council.
• Observer, National Institute of Forensic Science.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police

The Deputy Commissioner of Police, Gary Burns BM APM, has responsibility for the control and management of the following operational services:

• Northern Operations Service
• Southern Operations Service
• Protective Security Service
• Information Systems & Technology Service
• Human Resources Service

Deputy Commissioner Burns is a member of the Australian National Counter Terrorism Committee, the State Road Safety Advisory Council and the Pandemic Influenza Working Group.