Trooper Penny Gallegos has been employed with the Colorado State Patrol for 26 years. During her distinguished career, she was recognized as Police Officer of the year and Trooper of the Year twice. She was awarded the medal of valor; to which she is the only female trooper to have this honor bestowed upon. She was deputized through the Federal Bureau of Investigations as a Special Deputy United States Marshal, and served on the F.B.I.’s Human Trafficking Task Force for the last five years.
Penny is currently assigned to the Colorado State Patrol Smuggling, Trafficking and Interdiction Section (S.T.I.S). One of the missions of S.T.I.S is to identify and recover victims of human sex trafficking. Penny has rescued hundreds of victims from this terrible crime through dedication and commitment to the “innocent”. Penny works tirelessly to ensure those who prey on our children in Colorado and around the nation are brought to justice. In 2017 Trooper Gallegos was honored with the National Malone Law Enforcement Leadership and Vison in Human Trafficking award in Miami Florida by 3-Generations and the Women’s Fund. Penny currently holds the honor for producing the top two largest sentences for Human Trafficking in the United States. One pimp receiving 248 years to life and the second receiving 472 years to life.