Sussex Police Officer Receives National Award for Victim Support Work

Detective Sergeant Gemma Holley of Sussex Police has been recognised with a national award for her significant efforts in improving the force’s support for victims of sexual offences.

Holley, based in Littlehampton and part of the Public Protection team, has been instrumental in enhancing the role of Sexual Offences Liaison Officers (SOLOs) across Sussex. She received the Police Now award for ‘outstanding leadership’ at a ceremony in London on October 4.

Holley joined Police Now’s Frontline Leadership Programme in 2022, aiming to progress constables to sergeant rank with a focus on innovative and inclusive frontline leadership. She identified areas for improvement in the SOLO network, leading to a 175% increase in operational SOLOs.

Her efforts extended to securing funding for specialized training for Sexual Offences Investigation Trained (SOIT) officers. This training, tailored to support victims with protected characteristics such as LGBTQIA+ individuals and neurodivergent persons, has led to greater knowledge sharing across the force.

Photo Credit: Sussex Police