Special Agent Supervisor (SAS) Robert Pennal, Office of the Attorney General, California Department of Justice, Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement (CA DOJ/BNE), retired in April 2009 after a 30 year law enforcement career. Prior to employment with DOJ, SAS Pennal was employed both as a Deputy Sheriff with the Merced County Sheriff's Department (MCSD) and an Officer with the California Highway Patrol (CHP).

SAS Pennal spends 24 years with BNE, the last 22 assigned to clandestine laboratory investigations. SAS Pennal retired as the Task Force Commander (TFC) of the Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), Fresno Methamphetamine Task Force (FMTF). SAS Pennal has been involved in the investigation of over 700 laboratories. The majority involved the large scale manufacturing and distribution of methamphetamine by Mexican National Drug Trafficking Organization (MNDTO). SAS Pennal is a recognized international expert in the manufacturing and distribution of methamphetamine.

SAS Pennal is a three time CNOA Region 7 "Narcotic Officer of the Year" and on December 12, 2002, SAS Pennal was awarded the national "Outstanding Task Force Commander of the year" by the Office of National Drug Control Policy, Office of the President. In May of 2009, SAS Pennal was awarded the national "Domestic Impact" award at the National Methamphetamine and Pharmaceutical Initiative National Strategy Conference. SAS Pennal was recognized for his contributions to methamphetamine enforcement. SAS Pennal has trained in excess of 40,000 police officers and emergency personnel on clandestine laboratory investigations and currently lectures at conferences throughout the United States and Canada. SAS Pennal was also a presenter at the 2008 Global Methamphetamine Conference, Prague, Czech Republic.

In April 2009, SAS Pennal was hired by the Western States Information Network (WSIN) as a Law Enforcement Coordinator for Region 3. SAS Pennal continues to respond to crime scenes and attends intelligence meeting regarding both narcotic and current crime trends. SAS Pennal continues to speak both nationally and internationally.