Tell us about yourself
I retired from policing in 2023 after a full career in the North East, concluding my service as Detective Chief Inspector and Head of the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, leading critical investigations into homicides, stranger sexual offences, and complex major crimes. Progressing from Detective Constable to Detective Chief Inspector, I earned accreditation as a Senior Investigating Officer (SIO) in 2013 and led numerous high-profile investigations, including securing a conviction in a 1968 cold case murder, and managing high-risk, time-sensitive kidnaps and abductions as a College of Policing-accredited Kidnap and Extortion SIO.
My operational experience is varied, including roles in Custody, Intelligence, a Source Handler, Neighbourhood Policing, and Response, alongside covert operations and major crime review. Whilst Chair of the SIO Working Group and force lead for Kidnap and Extortion, I drove professional development and operational resilience across the force. Passionate about officer wellbeing and development, I have mentored officers and students and delivered lectures on major crime investigation, decision-making, and ethical practice at Northumbria University, Teesside University, and the University of Central Lancashire.
I am currently a second-year PhD candidate at Northumbria University’s Department of Leadership and Human Resource Management, researching policing stressors and wellbeing outcomes.
Why did you want to become a Research Affiliate?
The ESRC Vulnerability & Policing Futures Research Centre represents a natural extension of my commitment to advancing understanding of policing well-being. Contributing as a member of the Expert by Experience Advisory Panel for the Centre’s Police Workforce Mental Health & Wellbeing study, conducted by Dr Claire Warrington, provided invaluable insight into collaborative research processes and strengthened my dedication to evidence-based approaches addressing the complex vulnerabilities faced by police officers.
Affiliation would deepen my engagement with a dynamic interdisciplinary network of academics, practitioners, and policymakers who share a professional interest in vulnerability and policing research. This connection is important to my investigation into organisational stressors and their impact on SIO wellbeing, offering access to research and resources closely aligned with my focus.
The Centre’s workshops, events, and development opportunities offer valuable platforms to enrich the rigour and relevance of my research. Its emphasis on practitioner collaboration aligns with my commitment to producing actionable insights that improve operational resilience and mental health support within policing.
I am particularly interested to connect with this vibrant expert network and gain access to vital resources, amplifying the influence and relevance of my research within both academic and policing communities, ultimately supporting evidence-informed policing policy and practice.
How does your research connect to the Centre’s mission and values?
My research seeks to address a critical, often underexplored aspect of policing vulnerability: the wellbeing of SIOs who operate at the frontline of complex, high-stakes investigations. These officers carry significant emotional and organisational burdens, which directly affect their decision-making and capacity to protect vulnerable individuals.
This focus complements the Centre’s interdisciplinary mission to understand vulnerability across sectors and improve integrated responses. By combining organisational psychology with practical policing experience, my research seeks to inform more effective support structures that acknowledge the human dimension behind operational roles.
Through my involvement with the Centre’s Police Workforce Mental Health & Wellbeing study, I have gained deeper appreciation for collaborative, evidence-based approaches that foster resilience and trust, both within police forces and between officers and the communities they serve.
Ultimately, my research is seeking to provide practical, evidence-backed strategies that enhance organisational resilience and officer wellbeing, contributing meaningfully to the Centre’s goal of advancing policing practices that are not only effective but compassionate and sustainable.