Wiltshire programme backing officers after assault wins national recognition
A programme backing officers and staff after assaults has won national and regional recognition
A police force's work supporting officers and staff who are assaulted while carrying out their duties has been recognised with three awards.
Wiltshire Police said the latest award came on 20th October, when Inspector Tracey Holloway received the Health and Safety Initiative Award from the Association of Police Health and Safety Advisors.
The force said the award recognises her contribution to advancing health and safety through innovation, proactive intervention and continuous improvement.
National recognition for Op Hampshire
On 13th October, the force's refreshed Op Hampshire programme achieved second place at the Oscar Kilo Awards.
Wiltshire Police said judges praised its innovative use of automation and data integration to improve victim care, wellbeing support and organisational learning.
The force said the programme has created a faster, more joined-up process for reporting assaults. It said this means officers and staff can get welfare support in good time, while oversight of repeat victims and emerging risks is improved.
Op Hampshire is designed to support colleagues following assaults, recognising the physical, psychological and emotional impact they can have on individuals and their families.
The force said the programme includes dedicated peer supporters and enhanced welfare provision. It also involves close work with Occupational Health and TRiM practitioners.
Others recognised
Chief Inspector Paul Saunders and Business Intelligence Analyst Liam Clark were also recognised.
The force said Chief Inspector Saunders led the local neighbourhood policing and response teams through the changes, keeping focus and momentum.
It said Mr Clark worked closely with Inspector Holloway to deliver data insights and drive improvements that strengthened the team's effectiveness.
Earlier this year, Inspector Holloway was also named Unsung Hero at the Wiltshire Police Federation Awards.
The force said this recognised her work to simplify reporting processes, strengthen support after assaults and improve the quality of information captured afterwards.
It said much of her work has been driven by her passion for staff wellbeing. This includes developing a network of peer supporters and helping line managers better support colleagues after traumatic events.
Force response
Deputy Chief Constable Mark Cooper said: "These awards reflect the outstanding commitment and determination of Inspector Holloway and the wider Operation Hampshire team in tackling assaults against emergency workers."
He said: "Every day, police officers and other emergency service workers put themselves in harm's way to protect others. While violence and abuse should never be considered part of the job, the reality is that many frontline workers continue to face these challenges while serving their communities."
Mr Cooper said the impact of assaults on emergency workers extends far beyond the workplace, and that families, friends and loved ones are all affected.
He said: "Assaults on emergency workers are never acceptable, and we remain committed to supporting victims, pursuing offenders and reinforcing the message that such behaviour will not be tolerated."
Inspector Holloway said: "These awards are recognition of the collective effort across the Force to ensure officers and staff who are assaulted receive the support they need. We are committed to challenging the idea that assaults are simply 'part of the job' and to putting the wellbeing of our people at the heart of our response."
She also said: "While it is fantastic to receive this recognition, we remain focused on continuing to improve, listening to our people and ensuring anyone affected by an assault feels supported, valued and able to access the right help when they need it."