Kirsty Schofield APM is an Assistant Commissioner in the Australian Federal Police (AFP) with over 30 years operational policing experience across a range of crime types including transnational serious and organised crime, fraud and anti-corruption investigations, intelligence, and counter terrorism investigations. Throughout her career, Kirsty’s leadership and strategic abilities have been recognised with numerous awards, including the Australian Police Medal in 2017, and the Australasia Council of Women in Policing Award for Most Outstanding Female Investigator in 2016, and three Commissioner Group Citations for Conspicuous Conduct for significant operations under her leadership.
As the Assistant Commissioner of Eastern Command, Kirsty is responsible for the strategic direction of the AFP in New South Wales. She is a founding member of the AFP’s Transnational Serious and Organised Crime (TSOC) Strategy Board that provides direction and advice to the Commissioner of the AFP. Kirsty is the AFP’s strategic lead for Drugs and Money Laundering, leads the National team responsible for developing strategy and policy surrounding drug and anti-money laundering activities, and is the AFP representative to the Five Eyes Law Enforcement Group’s Money Laundering Working Group. Under Kirsty’s strategic leadership new partnerships have been explored and innovative new ventures have been pursued including the recently established joint-led Operation Phobetor between New South Wales Police Force and Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, the first of this kind to operationalise an ongoing joint target development arrangement between state and Commonwealth agencies. Kirsty has also been pivotal in establishing the foundation for implementation of the AFP’s new Money Laundering Taskforce Avarus which she will oversight.
Kirsty led the New South Wales response for Operation Ironside, the most ambitious and complex investigation undertaken by the AFP to date. Operation Ironside required an internationally coordinated response, requiring Kirsty’s engagement with key international law enforcement entities including Federal Bureau of Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Homeland Security Investigations. Operation Ironside resulted in the seizure of more than 32 tonnes of drugs, $48 million in cash and assets seized, and the arrest of more than 800 offenders.
Kirsty is an outspoken advocate for the advancement of women in policing, takes pride in developing the confidence and skillsets of emerging female leaders, and remains a role model for many junior women within Eastern Command. Kirsty has a Bachelor of Administrative Leadership, is a qualified Senior Investigating Officer under Australia New Zealand Counter Terrorism Committee arrangements, has completed National Security Executive Development, and future leaders programs, and is a mentor for the Women in Law Enforcement Program. In her downtime, Kirsty is a supportive mum to her three boys and her husband, all of whom manage to perpetually keep her on her toes.