In 1987 Moroney was promoted to superintendent and was the director of recruitment and constable development at the New South Wales Police Academy in Goulburn. In 1990 he was appointed chief-of-staff to Police Commissioner John Avery and then Tony Lauer. In 1997 he was given the job of City East region commander. Five years later he was appointed a senior deputy commissioner. He replaced Peter Ryan as Police Commissioner in 2002, having been selected for the position by the New South Wales Premier, Bob Carr.