Mick Willing was promoted to Deputy Commissioner on July 1 and was given command of the NSW Police Regional Field Operations unit - which overseas the work of the three policing regions and their many districts outside the Sydney Metropolitan Region.

The police districts across the Hunter - Newcastle City, Lake Macquarie, Port Stephens-Hunter and Hunter Valley - fall into the boundaries of the NSW Police Northern Region, which stretches from the Hawkesbury River to the Queensland border.

Deputy Commissioner Willing, who has more than 30 years of experience on the force including as boss of the Homicide Squad and Counter Terrorism Unit, has been vocal so far in his new position in an effort to discourage people from the Greater Sydney lockdown zone from illegally leaving their areas and travelling to regional parts of the state.

Born and bred in Dubbo - he still has strong community ties and family living in the western NSW centre - Deputy Commissioner Willing told the Newcastle Herald this week that he was pleased to be taking on the regional leadership role.

"Being a country guy mate, I'm very, very privileged to have that responsibility," he said.

Deputy Commissioner Willing began his career as an officer in the Orana Local Area Command, in his home district.

He spent 17 years working there, rising to the rank of Detective Inspector and performing the role of Crime Manager.

He then rose to the rank of Detective Superintendent, taking charge of Far South Coast Local Area Command in 2007 before being made commander at Lake Illawarra in 2009.

Six years leading the state's Homicide Squad came before another rise through the ranks to Assistant Commissioner in 2017, when he became the boss of the NSW Police Counter Terrorism and Special Tactics Command.

He spent two years as commander of the Central Metropolitan Region, in the heart of Sydney City, before NSW Police and Emergency Services Minister David Elliott announced he was one of nine high profile Deputy Commissioner and Assistant Commissioner appointments taking effect from this month.

"Each one of the Deputy and Assistant Commissioners has served their communities through extensive and distinguished careers and will bring impressive knowledge and experience to their respective portfolios," Mr Elliott said during the announcement last month.

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