Freda Grace

When Inspector Freda Grace joined the New Zealand Police in 1984, she was one of only six women in her wing.

Aside from a short time in Counties Manukau, Freda has spent the majority of her career with Police in the Waikato District. During her career she has worked in a variety of roles and areas within the organisation, including frontline, rural stations, Enquiries Office, Police Support Unit, Prosecutions, Community Policing Centre, and Operations Group; and as a Staff Sergeant and a Tactical Coordinator.

In 2013 Freda become the Road Policing Manager at Waikato District Headquarters, a position she still holds. In 2015, she took command of the Waikato District Armed Offenders Squad (AOS) – she is currently the only woman in an AOS command position.

Freda loves the challenge of policing and says she is inspired to come to work due to the great people in Police. She’s very proud of the work that Police do and the positive contributions they make to the community every day and says the difference that police officers make in the lives of victims and offenders cannot be underestimated.

Freda believes that Police provides many opportunities for all its staff and it’s just a matter of identifying those opportunities and sometimes just giving something a go.

Freda has two children and is heavily involved in their sporting activities - including water polo, karate and netball – as either a manager or in a committee role.  Freda has also served on school boards and has also been involved with the Parent Teacher’s Association.