What ignited your passion to join and how old were you when you trained?
As corny as this sounds I wanted to make a difference ... I was a teenage mum and, at the age of 34, I joined the police to be a role model to my two sons,
Sergeant Melanie Leonard, pictured in uniform, alongside women of the East Timor community where she worked as part of the United Nations International Police. Melanie is the Pouwhakataki iwi liaison co-ordinator and has been in the force 14 years. Photo/Supplied
What ignited your passion to join and how old were you when you trained?
As corny as this sounds I wanted to make a difference ... I was a teenage mum and, at the age of 34, I joined the police to be a role model to my two sons,