Sam is currently a Chief Superintendent working as the Programme Lead on the National Police Chiefs Councils VAWG (Violence Against Women and Girls) Taskforce.

Before joining policing, Sam spent time after university in the army as a commissioned officer. Sam became an accomplished adventurer, was the first female officer to undertake artic warfare survival accreditation; became a ski instructor and even learned how to build igloos! After a tour of duty in Northern Ireland, Sam was awarded the Queens Gallantry Medal, something she would describe as the proudest moment of her service for her family.

Sam started her policing career in West Yorkshire Police in 1993 and transferred to North Yorkshire Police in 2019. She is an experienced public order and firearms commander and has recently been nominated for awards around her activity in coaching and mentoring.

Sam joined the police as a graduate entrant, was selected as part of a fast-track promotion scheme, undertaking roles at every rank in operational delivery in some of the most complex and challenging areas within West Yorkshire and specialist operation roles. After a short spell as staff officer, Sam’s interest in partnerships saw her head up a large community safety partnership in Leeds in 2014, known as Safer Leeds. In this role, Sam had strategic responsibility for a range of safeguarding work streams. She has influenced the national agenda around policing street sex working, has held roles as deputy chair of adults and children safeguarding boards and was recognised locally and nationally for her innovative and influential work with her Safer Leeds Team in developing the multi-agency safeguarding hub in Leeds.

In December 2018 Sam completed a master programme with the University of Cambridge in criminology, using it as an opportunity to research and evidence the operational impact of a multi-agency approach to tackling on-street sex working.