I have been part of the media and communications team at Derbyshire Constabulary for seven years, having previously been a news reporter, feature writer and sub-editor at the Derby Telegraph.
In my time as a press officer, I have been involved in a wide range of high profile and critical incidents, from managing the media response to the UK’s most prolific dating website rapist to the early days of the Whaley Bridge dam emergency response.
My role has recently changed to be significantly more video focused, and my aspiration in that role is to push Derbyshire’s video output to as near to broadcast-standard as possible. This is an area I am especially passionate about and if I were to be successful as a vice-chair candidate, I would explore ways to carry that aspiration across our fellow forces.
Having recently been involved in the development of a video skills workshop at the 2019 APComm Academy, I am keen to drive the video production agenda nationally and prove how critical a tool it can be for us.
I have always strived to find more creative ways of communicating through to both our internal and external audiences. I believe that as communicators, we are natural storytellers and the ways in which we can tell the stories that cross our inboxes are ever-changing.
As vice-chair, part of my focus would be on how we can embrace those emerging technologies and video production, and use those platforms to improve the service we provide to our forces and the public.
I believe that by bringing in as wide a skillset as possible to the APComm committee, we can further enhance the excellent service provided by the association to its members.
I have only been involved on the fringes of the committee in recent months – and only very loosely at that. But it has given me a flavour of how we can use our combined skills and experiences to help each other and I would relish the opportunity to have a proper go at it.
Also my tea and coffee making skills are second to none.
