A Woman of Force

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Pub Date Sep 22 2020 | Archive Date Aug 31 2020
Pan Macmillan Australia | Macmillan Australia

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Description

They call her 'the gangbuster'.

The police force can be a tough place for a woman, but Detective Superintendent Deborah Wallace rose to the top with grace, humour and an iconic sense of style. In her incredible 36-year career with NSW Police, Wallace took on murderers and drug suppliers, and dismantled the state's most nefarious gangs.

Tenacious, perceptive and sharp, Wallace commanded a range of police crime squads, bringing order to the wild west of 1990s Cabramatta and busting criminal bikie gangs with Strike Force Raptor, until her retirement in late 2019. Her inner strength and empathy meant that she was a constant go-to for some of the state's toughest cases, and her poise and compassion earned her a special place in the lives and hearts of her colleagues - and the grudging respect of her criminal foes.

In Wallace's official biography, veteran crime writer Mark Morri brings to life the jaw-dropping true story of a police trailblazer and woman of force.


They call her 'the gangbuster'.

The police force can be a tough place for a woman, but Detective Superintendent Deborah Wallace rose to the top with grace, humour and an iconic sense of style. In...


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 The true story of Deborah Wallace, the legendary 'gangbuster' of NSW Police Force.

 The true story of Deborah Wallace, the legendary 'gangbuster' of NSW Police Force.


Available Editions

EDITION Paperback
ISBN 9781760787356
PRICE A$34.99 (AUD)

Average rating from 1 member


Featured Reviews

A Woman of Force is ‘The True Story of Deborah Wallace, the Cop Known as The Gangbuster’, penned by veteran crime writer, Mark Morri.

Illustrating Deborah Wallace’s remarkable thirty six year career as a NSW police officer, from general duties street cop to Detective Superintendent in charge of Strike Force Raptor, a specialised unit which played a major role in dismantling the state’s most dangerous bikie gangs, this a fascinating biography of a woman’s success in a unique role.

Beginning her career in Blacktown in 1983, Deborah enjoyed community policing and thought she would remain a uniform cop but after being invited to assist in the task force investigating the high profile case involving Anita Cobby’s shocking rape and murder (she was the police woman who re-enacted Anita’s journey towards home that night for the media), she earned her detective credentials just three years later.

I may actually have crossed paths with Deborah during her next assignment in Cabramatta when I worked in the suburb from 1994-1996. While she earned the nickname ‘Madam’, I was called ‘Missy’ by my exclusively Chinese and Vietnamese preschoolers and their family’s. I was well aware of the crime that plagued the area, we had to check the grounds and the sandpit each morning for used syringes or weapons that may have been thrown over the fence.

From Cabramatta, Wallace moved up to the South East Asian Crime Squad before taking command of The Middle Eastern Organised Crime Squad in 2008, and then the Gang Squad in 2014, which also brought Strike Force Raptor under her leadership. I found her experiences, -sometimes exciting, often dangerous, and occasionally surprising-, within these units, to be engrossing,.

Wallace presents as intelligent, compassionate, resourceful, tough and dedicated. Though she was not immune from some targeted harassment (possibly more from professional jealousy than just plain sexism), it’s also clear that she readily attracted respect from the majority of her colleagues by proving herself to be a strong and supportive leader.

Personal details are sprinkled lightly through the book, including how Deborah met her husband, a little about her family, her friendships with Anita Cobby’s mother and Father Chris Reilly, and her involvement in organisations related to supporting youth, but the focus is on her career.

Deborah Wallace had an extraordinary career and I admire her significant contributions to the prevention, and curtailing, of crime. Interesting, and entertaining, I enjoyed reading A Woman of Force.

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