Police Assistant Commissioner Penny seconded to Oranga Tamariki

TUSHA PENNY

Former Gisborne woman, police Assistant Commissioner Tusha Penny, is set to leave the police top brass on a temporary basis.

Asst Comm Penny begins a two-year secondment to Oranga Tamariki next month.

She is in charge of front-line capability for police and recently led the nationwide Tactical Response Model, which included more training for police and specialist armed teams. She will join another senior police employee on secondment at Oranga Tamariki, Cassandra Anderson, who was an executive director (non-sworn equivalent to Assistant Commissioner) in the police hierarchy.

“Police staff are always able and encouraged to take secondment opportunities,” a police spokesperson said.

“These opportunities are beneficial both to police as an organisation and other agencies that seek out senior police staff for their experience and diverse skillsets at both an operational and strategic level.”

However, many police leaders seconded to other government agencies do not return after experiencing new career opportunities.

Police Commissioner Andrew Coster, who spent two years at the Justice Ministry, is one of the rare exceptions.

Asst Comm Penny joined the NZ Police in 1992.