He left Western Australia Police in April 2014 to be chief executive officer of the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission.

[5][6][7] Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Dawson acted in a number of roles, including State Emergency Coordinator and Vaccine Commander.

[8][9] Dawson received an honourable send-off on 14 July 2022 at Western Australia Police headquarters after five years as commissioner.

[9] On 4 April 2022, Premier Mark McGowan announced Dawson as the replacement to Kim Beazley as the Governor of Western Australia, after Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, and the WA Cabinet endorsed Dawson's appointment on the same day.

[12][13] Dawson was the first police officer to be appointed as the Queen's representative for Western Australia.