The appointment of Assistant Commissioner Saunders to the helm of ACT Policing comes just a week after the release of a damning report on the treatment of women within the broader Australian Federal Police.

The report, authored by former Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick, found that discrimination and bullying was entrenched and widespread.

About 30 staff members were found to have been victims of rape or attempted rape in the past five years.

ACT Policing has itself struggled with diversity in its workforce.

In 2014-15, just 32 per cent of its total staff were women.

Assistant Commissioner Saunders was asked on Monday whether she would make it a priority to rid ACT Policing of discrimination.

"Absolutely, and can I say it already is," she said.

"I have to be honest, as a young person in the AFP, I too was subject to some of the behaviours we saw in that report, but I was shocked by the findings of that report and the number of people that have been affected by sexual harassment in this organisation.

"As someone who grew up in this organisation, I take full responsibility for the situation we find ourselves in, and am truly committed to bringing about the necessary change to weed out that behaviour."

AFP Commissioner Andrew Colvin and ACT Police Minister Simon Corbell announced the appointment on Monday, praising Assistant Commissioner Saunders' vast experience and broad skill set.

The appointment sees Assistant Commissioner Saunders return to community policing, where she started her law enforcement career almost three decades ago.

Most recently, Assistant Commissioner Saunders has headed up the AFP's operations, with responsibility for areas like transnational crime, drug importations, people smuggling, and fraud.

Prior to that, she represented Australia at the United Nations, advising on policing matters.

Assistant Commissioner Saunders has worked at a local level, including as a detective, and in general duties and more specialised investigative units.

She said on Monday her priorities were targeting alcohol-fuelled violence, family violence, road safety, serious and organised crime, and furthering the pursuit of restorative justice.

A particular priority, she said, was better engaging Canberra's youth to reduce crime.

Commissioner Colvin said Assistant Commissioner Saunders was the best person for the job, first and foremost, but she could also help lead the force as it tried to deal with gender discrimination.

"Does it give us an opportunity to highlight the key important role that females can play in senior law enforcement? Absolutely it does," he said.

"But first and foremost we have a responsibility to the ACT community, and Assistant Commissioner Saunders is the right person for this role."

Police have recently pushed hard for the introduction of anti-consorting laws to target bikie gangs, but the ACT balked at the changes last month, saying they could not find a model compatible with the territory's human rights laws.

Asked whether she would continue to push for anti-consorting laws, Assistant Commissioner Saunders said she was supportive of "any well-considered policy or legislation that will assist us in reducing crime".

"I've certainly got an open mind... and I'd certainly welcome an opportunity to continue those discussions with the next government," she said.

Assistant Commissioner Lammers, a career police officer who held a law degree, took on the top job in July 2013 following the exit of Roman Quaedvlieg, and went on to become one of Canberra's longest-serving police bosses.

He had joined the AFP in 1982 and spent the vast majority of his career in the ACT in general duties, criminal investigations, on task forces and in support and leadership roles.

In his time as police chief, he had to contest with ongoing cuts to the police budget and handled a highly controversial investigation into the office of former police minister Joy Burch over alleged leaks of sensitive police information.

He also overhauled ACT Policing's response to domestic and family violence and oversaw falling crime rates, significant reforms to the territory's police pursuits policy and restorative justice initiatives, and a crackdown on organised crime and bikie gangs.