New Zealand's first Indian-born female police officer Mandeep Kaur scripted history by achieving the rank of a Senior Sergeant
Born in Chandigarh, Punjab, Mandeep Kaur made history as the first Indian-origin female police officer in New Zealand. Being a single mother, it was a tough decision to leave behind her two young children with her parents and shift to New Zealand. With not much of the English language, Kaur struggled with her first job, a door-to-door sales professional. After a brief stint as a taxi driver, Kaur applied for the police force when she realized that was the right time to chase her childhood dream. Retired Police Officer John Pegler, who was a receptionist at the women's lodge in Auckland where she stayed, helped and encouraged her to pursue her dream.
To achieve the fitness level, she worked out rigorously and lost 20 kgs and cleared the swimming tests, that was a real challenge for someone from a small town. She finally made it to the New Zealand police force in 2004. During her time with the New Zealand Police, Kaur has worked as a Frontline Officer, in Road Policing, Family Violence, the Investigation Support Unit, Neighbourhood Policing and Community Policing. She has also formed a New Zealand Police Bhangra dancing group, and they performed in their police uniforms at Aotea Square's Diwali Festival last year.
“Mandeep was the first female Indian-born officer in the New Zealand Police. Her journey to become a police officer came with many personal and cultural barriers, which she faced while raising her two children on her own. However, she is proud to have overcome these challenges to be where she is today” mentions the official New Zealand Police website.
Now, she is a frontline officer in road policing, family violence, investigation support, neighbourhood policing and community policing. Currently, Mandeep works as an Ethnic Peoples Community Relations Officer, based at the Henderson Police Station in Waitemata. Her role involves attending community meetings, hosting media programmes, visiting family violence victims and attending any other matters where there is a need for ethnic or cultural advice. Early this year she was promoted to the rank of a Senior Sergeant, making her the first Indian-origin woman to achieve this feat.
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