Photos: Hagen Hopkins.
In the past four decades, Inspector Freda Grace has held jobs in most departments of the New Zealand Police and been responsible for plenty of firsts, including being the first female to hold a command position with the Armed Offenders Squad.
She has seen plenty of change, but her commitment to the job and belief that there’s no place she’d rather be has never wavered.
“I’ve worked for the same organisation for 40 years, but I’ve just had so many different careers inside that organisation,” enthuses Freda, 61. “It’s challenging at times, but it’s a privilege to support and work with people, albeit usually on their worst day.”
It all began in 1984 after leaving her small hometown in the Far North – where Freda grew up with her sister and widowed father – and taking a retail job in Auckland.
Freda recalls being affected by a theft where a series of handbags were stolen and having an exchange with the police officers. Inspired by the encounter, she thought becoming a police officer would offer more variety and interest. To this day, she has no idea who they were.
Several months later, she applied to join the police, kicking off a long line of better work stories. At the time, women still lagged behind their male counterparts on the job, and Freda was one of only six females in her wing. But that didn’t stop her from seizing every opportunity.
“Early on, they had me in the Coromandel policing mining protests and deployed into the bush every day for a few weeks,” she tells.
“I was lucky enough to be sent to a sole charge station [where one sole police officer is responsible for a station] at Whangamatā. I became the first woman they sent there.”
At 50, Freda became the first female to command the Armed Offenders Squad (AOS). The AOS handles situations where firearms or other dangerous weapons pose a risk to the public or police.
Freda confesses it was an unexpected move into a role she never saw herself in. But not one to shy away from a challenge, she says humbly, “Waikato needed a new AOS commander. “Sometimes I look back and think, ‘How exactly did that happen?’. But they supported me so well every step of the way.
“It was physically and mentally challenging for me. Because it was not an area of policing I was familiar with at all. But it’s also been one of the most rewarding things I’ve done.”
She has balanced an impressive résumé while raising two children with her husband and staying heavily involved in the kids’ sports and activities.
As a young mum, she was even the first part-time police officer in the country after returning from maternity leave in 1995. Making the most of a newly changed policy that previously had required all officers to work full-time.
Freda now leads the specialist teams from Wellington, after spending most of her career in the Waikato. Another meaningful part of her role is supporting officers who are reintegrating into active duty after a shooting.
“Our people don’t come to work wanting to do that. They want to make a difference in a positive way,” shares Freda. “When they have to get engaged in that sort of activity, it’s incredibly challenging for them. As it is for family and whānau involved across the whole spectrum.
“I’m proud to have been influential in getting the process up and running for people involved in critical incidents. It ensures that their wellbeing is catered for and gives them the confidence to return to the job.”
She knows the time will come when she’s ready to hang up her hat. But until then, Freda is excited about encouraging other women to join the force.
“Particularly for women in the organisation, it’s significantly different than when I first joined,” she tells. “There are opportunities everywhere for our women to do things incredibly well in every facet of policing.
Freda explains, “You can be on section work directly interacting with the public, in search and rescue, the maritime unit, air support, Armed Offenders Squad, police negotiators, dog handling, or so much more.” The 2024 King’s Birthday Honours list inducted her into the New Zealand Order of Merit this year.
“Yes, it’s challenging and yes, sometimes you are going to have to be in confrontations. But there is great training to get you through it. “I would say if you’re looking for something that’s interesting, challenging and really rewarding, you should join us!”
To find out more about becoming a police officer, visit newcops.govt.nz.
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