Our Deputy first to be awarded the new King’s Policing Medal

DCC Emma Barnett has become the first officer in the country to be awarded the new King’s Policing Medal (KPM) for Distinguished Service following a ceremony at Windsor Castle.

Emma was presented with the medal by HRH The Princess Royal – Princess Anne at the end of last month.

While some 60 people on the New Year’s Honours list were given various honours at the ceremony, Emma was one of only two on the day to receive what are His Majesty King Charles’ first KPMs – 12 months after the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. Emma was the first – through alphabetical order – to receive her medal.

“It was a fantastic experience and one I will never forget. It is the proudest moment of my career and I am delighted that I have received the medal whilst still serving ahead of my retirement at the end of the year. Princess Anne knew about my career and my national work with victims, so it was incredibly personal and special.

“I also got to take my husband, my mum and my niece with me, and they stood close by so really got to see the personal investiture up close. As Windsor Castle was closed to all other visitors during the ceremony, you also get to look round some of the historic rooms and take pictures in the grounds.

“Policing has been a wonderful career and I have worked with many, many amazing colleagues. I’ve always aimed to do my best for colleagues and for the public and I hope I have made some difference along the way, over the past near 30 years, in West Midlands Police, Staffordshire Police and as the National Police Chief’s Council lead for Victims and Witnesses. I cannot describe how proud I am and it truly was a most memorable day at Windsor.”

The first person to be awarded the KPM from Staffordshire Constabulary, as it was known then, was Chief Superintendent Thomas Whitehurst in 1911. The last person was Chief Constable Herbert Hunter, of Staffordshire County Police, in 1939.

Emma is only the third woman in Staffordshire Police to receive the KPM/Queen’s Policing Medal (QPM). In 1968, Superintendent Mary Wright (of the Staffordshire County and Stoke-on-Trent Constabulary) was awarded a QPM and Chief Constable Jane Sawyers was awarded a QPM in 2017.

The last person to be awarded the QPM was former Chief Constable Gareth Morgan in 2022.  

Between 1939 and 1953, the KPM was replaced by the King's Police and Fire Service Medal (KPFSM). It was awarded to six police officers who worked for either Staffordshire County Police or Stoke-on-Trent City Police.