We are delighted to share that Joanne, a long-serving and highly respected team supervisor at the Domestic Abuse (DA) Alliance who also serves as a Professional Standards Department (PSD) Champion for Bedfordshire Police, Hertfordshire Constabulary, and Cambridgeshire Constabulary, has been formally recognised for her exceptional contribution to safeguarding, partnership working, and professional standards across the region.
Joanne received her award from Assistant Chief Constable Genna Telfer of Hertfordshire Constabulary, with her citation stating:
“Outstanding professionalism and leadership in the role of PSD Champion.”
About the Award
The award highlights Joanne’s commitment to upholding integrity, promoting ethical behaviour, and helping strengthen professional standards across the three policing areas. It also reflects her ability to support the development of safer and more accountable workplace cultures by identifying vulnerabilities, encouraging secure reporting, and promoting awareness of misconduct risks.
Joanne’s Role as a PSD Champion
As an external PSD Champion, Joanne plays an important role in supporting Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, and Hertfordshire police forces. Her responsibilities include raising awareness of corruption and emerging risks, delivering key messages to teams, and helping identify gaps in understanding that may present risks to individuals or organisations. She also helps facilitate contact with PSD and ensures concerns are escalated through the appropriate channels in a timely and professional manner.
Her Work at the DA Alliance
In addition to her external work supporting police integrity and standards, Joanne brings the same level of dedication and leadership to her day-to-day role at the Domestic Abuse Alliance.
Joanne has consistently played a vital frontline role within our WEPROTECT service, providing dedicated support to victims-survivors through every stage of their legal journey. She provides legal guidance and emotional reassurance to victims-survivors referred by police and domestic abuse charities, often being the first voice they hear in moments of crisis. Her calm, empathetic presence helps build trust at a critical time, while her leadership ensures our call handlers and caseworkers offer timely, trauma-informed support.
Joanne said in a previous interview:
This award and recognition serve as a powerful affirmation of the work she carries out every day—supporting survivors with compassion, guiding her team with professionalism, and fostering ethical, trusted partnerships across the sector.
Speaking about the award, Joanne said:
“I feel incredibly honoured to have been recognised in this way. Supporting professional standards is about ensuring the people around us feel safe, respected, and empowered to speak up when something isn’t right. Whether it’s through my work with the PSD or at the DA Alliance, I’m proud to play a part in helping people feel heard, protected, and supported at the times they need it most.”
Her recognition is not only a personal achievement but also a reflection of the DA Alliance’s ongoing mission to build ethical, effective, and survivor-centred systems that protect through partnership. At the DA Alliance, we know that trust is built through action. Joanne’s work embodies that principle every day.
What Is a PSD Champion?
The Professional Standards Department (PSD) Champion role was developed by the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, and Hertfordshire policing collaboration to strengthen standards and promote integrity through trusted relationships with internal and external partners.
A PSD Champion helps:
- Raise awareness of professional standards and ethical risks
- Identify vulnerabilities or misconduct within organisations or partnerships.
- Support prevention strategies by sharing lessons learned from real cases.
- Promote safe and secure channels for reporting concerns.
- Act as a liaison between teams and PSD to ensure concerns are escalated quickly and appropriately.
The scheme aims to promote public confidence in policing by demonstrating that integrity is at the heart of partnership working.
