Penny Gifford

Inspector Penny Gifford joined the New Zealand Police in 1993.

Penny started her career in Invercargill as part of the General Duties Branch, but aspired to join the Criminal Investigations Branch (CIB) and the Armed Offenders Squad (AOS), so in 1999 she transferred Wellington to commence training for both. She says the AOS course was by far the most challenging course she’s ever done, but also the most rewarding.

After finishing CIB and AOS training, Penny spent a large majority of her next 13 years with the CIB. Being part of the CIB meant taking responsibility for ensuring people, including children who had been the victims of serious crimes, received the justice and outcomes they deserved. She says the cases she worked on during her time with the CIB remain etched in her memory and help drive the work she does today.

Penny also spent six years as part of the AOS, which she describes as the highlight of her career. She says it’s an incredibly close unit, knowing that she’s responsible for the guys in her stack, and they for her. From shots being fired at the team down a driveway, to being part of a team returning a baby safely to its mother, Penny says when the pager went off, there was no telling what she would be confronted with.

Currently Penny is the Manager: Partnerships , based in the NPC. The role involves working with both external organisations and internal work groups to find ways of reducing harm in our communities and achieving our goal of safer communities together. It also involves supporting innovation within our organisation and developing strong partnerships with externals to support that innovation.