Liz Williams 
Five Foot and Fearless: A woman on the front line in New Zealand’s Armed Offenders Squad 
A woman on the front line in New Zealand’s ArmedOffenders Squad

‘I don’t think I can actually remember a time in policing when I didn’t want to join the Armed Offenders Squad. My early reasons for joining probably weren’t the purest, though – I just thought they looked really cool.’ Five Foot and Fearless is the inspiring story of Liz Williams, a police officer and mum of one, who desperately wanted to be part of the Armed Offenders Squad. The brutal selection process would send most people running for cover, but her husband’s words spurred her on: ‘You know, you could do it if you wanted to.’ Liz’s story is one of determination and girl power. She struggles with motherhood and childcare just like any other working mum but in Liz’s world, she needs someone to look after her son at 1 a.m. when she’s called on to fight crime. A gifted storyteller, Liz entertains with tales of drowning in AOS gear that is too big for her, trying to keep her togs from riding up in the swim trial, and dealing with criminals in bad underwear. But her story has a darker side, as she reveals the harsh realities of the job that an AOS member faces every day. Liz’s account of the 2009 Napier siege is especially harrowing. At times laugh-out-loud funny, at other times shocking, Liz’s story offers rare insights into one of the most dangerous jobs in the country.