Real-life reads Undercover cop: I kept my Muslim faith a secret; Walking on sunshine: Living my best life with bipolar
Now Naila’s a force for change
Himalayan mountain climber. Freediver. Crayfish catcher. Academic. Avid cyclist. New Zealand Olympic bobsleigher. If you look up the dictionary definition of fearless, Naila Hassan’s name should be right beside it. But incredibly, the senior policewoman felt unable to tell her colleagues about her Muslim faith for 20 years.
“It never was about the police force – it was more about me,” explains the Aucklandbased inspector, 49. “I’m a real introvert. All the sports I do are individual. I wanted to fit in, so I just kept quiet about it.”
From the moment she joined the force in 1989, British-born Pakistani Naila learned how to dodge questions that would reveal her faith, including the beer- - drinking after-work culture.
“When you grow up in a country that isn’t Muslim, you kind of shift who you are. So I’m not a traditional Muslim. I do drink very occasionally, so I’m not completely teetotal. I don’t eat ham, pork or bacon, but no-one ever asked or noticed d that I didn’t.”
Instead, she quietly set about working her way up to become the country’s first female Pakistani inspector in 2012.
But when colleagues wanted to celebrate the achievement, she refused, embarrassed by the attention. She also declined to speak at a police diversity conference for the same reason.
It was only when her boss encouraged her to promote career opportunites in the police that she finally felt able to “come out” as Muslim. “He said, ‘You’ve got to where you are because of who you are and how you are, and that is something to be celebrated.’
“I realised then that it wasn’t just about me, Naila. It was about something much bigger – encouraging more women from different ethnic backgrounds and faiths to join the police force. That was the defining moment for me.”
At that point, diversity wasn’t a value in the NZ police force – it only became an official value in 2014.
The flurry of media interest that has followed still rankles with Naila – she “hates” posing for the camera and the barelythere make-up she’s given at our shoot, but she takes it with good humour. “I didn’t expect the huge response to me being out with my faith. I was worried about a negative reaction, but the response has mostly been incredible.
“It does make me feel a bit sad that something that’s just part of me is still considered a big deal, but if it can help encourage other Muslim women to join the police, I’d say, ‘Don’t be afraid to do it.’”
Although many Muslims pray as often as possible, Naila says this hasn’t been an issue in her busy, often dangerous role overseeing the gritty neighbourhoods of South Auckland. “The whole thing is about adapting,” she explains. “It’s praying when you can.”
Naila’s father Nasa, a strict practising Muslim from Pakistan, and her British mum Josephine met in the mid ’50s while both at university in England. Josephine’s dad was a pig farmer and boycotted his daughter’s wedding.
But Naila, who has a twin sister Samina and older sister Rukshana, 51, recalls good times growing up, where her dad was a close friend of boxing legend Muhammad Ali.
“In the ’60s, there were hardly any Muslims in London, so it was kind of inevitable that they got to know each other,” she explains. “He was an amazing person.”
When the Hassans emigrated to NZ, settling in Auckland, they were even more of a
minority and Naila never talked about her faith outside the family.
Instead, she excelled at sports, even climbing Nepal’s fearsome 6476-metre Mera Peak in 1995 and, despite having no experience, becoming a member of the national bobsleigh team.
Scary times
Travelling to the US to compete after the 9-11 attack was not easy as a Muslim. “I definitely used to get stared at by customs officials and when they saw my name on my passport, they scrutinised me more than others,” she recalls, describing it as “unsettling”.
When Naila’s bid for Olympic bobsleigh glory went off the skids, she threw herself into other sports, as well as studying for three degrees, including law, while still working as a police officer.
Through her love of cycling, she met her partner Pete, 54, in 2002. “Pete isn’t religious, but he’s supportive of my faith,” she tells.
The pair, who live with three Sphynx cats and two dogs, chose not to have children to pursue their shared passion for freediving and cycling. They head to Europe every couple of years to race around the mountains.
But Naila is close to her two nephews and twin sister, who will join them this month in Italy to celebrate their 50th birthday.
What’s next then for the woman who’s seemingly capable of anything?
“There’s not a whole lot else I want to do,” she grins, her eyes sparkling, “but becoming assistant commissioner would be nice!”