APComm Co-Chair Election outcome
This year, two nominations were received for the positions of Co-Chair – one for each available role. As there were no additional candidates, an election was not required. By agreement with the APComm Executive, the nominees have therefore been directly appointed to the Co-Chair positions.
We are therefore pleased to confirm that Clare Mills and Helen Wilson will serve as Co-Chairs for the upcoming term, taking us to December 2027. We thank them for their commitment and look forward to their leadership in the next two years. You can read their manifestos, which they submitted as part of this process, below.
We also extend our sincere thanks to Kate Quilley, who last month announced her intention not to stand for the role of Co-Chair for a further term. For the last seven years, Kate has provided invaluable leadership and dedication, championing the role of Police comms in various settings and with unwavering commitment to learning and development, and wellbeing. She has made a lasting and positive contribution to the Association of Police Communicators, and by extension the entire Police communicators network, and we thank her for her service.
Clare Mills, Co-Chair manifesto 
Having worked in police communications for over 24 years, I appreciate first-hand how very valuable APComm is as a network, and the huge role it plays in supporting policing communications teams all across the country. APComm offers something that’s so vital for us all – networking, peer support and continuous CPD.
Having been Co-Chair for the last two years (and Vice Chair for a number of years prior), I hope members can see how APComm has continued to evolve and take shape over that time, and how it is focused entirely on you as members.
When elected to Co-Chair in 2023, I promised to be dedicated to really listening and understanding what more we can do, where you would like more support, opportunities and training, and other areas where we could add real value for members. I hope you feel I have delivered on this. Over those two years, I have been pivotal in driving forward (with my co-chair colleague) ambitious business and training plans - including the delivery of three learning academies (fourth to come in November!), development of the APComm Recognition Awards to a stage where we receive a staggering number of nominations each year, and ensuring we provide continuous CPD through multiple lunch and learns and training sessions.
From recent discussions with police communications leaders, I know that CPD, workshops, seminars, knowledge sharing, best practice, networking and mentoring continue to be areas that are important to comms teams up and down the country. If I am elected, I will ensure these areas are at the very core of our 2026 Business and Training plan.
An important benefit I feel I can bring to a further APComm Co-Chair term is the ability to see things from both a national and a local level. Moving to a new role at the NPCC has allowed me to really grasp, first-hand, the broader national strategic issues at play for policing communications, and how this translates to the local. This includes on Police Reform, where I am able to understand the future policing landscape and the vital and exciting role that police communications, (both at a national level and local level) will have to play in the future of policing.
I also continue to have a deep understanding and appreciation of the daily challenges force communications teams face, having worked in geographical policing for 24 years, 14 years as a Head of Communications.
In addition, I want APComm to be at the very centre of plans to further professionalise communications. Through a tri-partite collaboration with NPCC and the College of Policing, I will represent what you say you want and need as we seek to explore a national curriculum for comms professionals in policing.
If I am elected, I will also work hard to ensure that APComm remains the important peer support network that I know members value greatly. Police communicators are an amazingly talented, committed pool of professionals – and I will ensure that APComm continues to be a network which offers camaraderie, support and guidance. This will remain at the centre of our delivery for you.
APComm is a volunteer role, over and above the day job. But I continue to be prepared to put my all into delivering what you need. I feel I have so much more still to give to the role – and would hopefully also offer important continuity for the Exec team, leading the Committee with passion, drive and a real understanding of the issues for police communications.
I will also continue to be the biggest ambassador at the national level for local communications teams up and down the country, and work really hard to strengthen the role and perception of police communications nationally.
Helen Wilson, Co-Chair manifesto 
I am entering my 25th year in policing communications having gained experience across most functions in Corporate Communications at Surrey Police. Through this I have insight into the professional needs of members and recognise that the APComm offer needs to represent and cater for all the disciplines and skills that make up a busy communications department.
Since January 2020 I have been a Vice Chair of APComm and it has been a privilege to support the Chairs to deliver the annual business and training plans. Since joining the committee my contribution includes:
Professionalisation
Raising the profile amongst police leaders of the critical importance of positioning communications as an operational response in policing, and the contribution that makes to good performance. I have helped to re-design the two-day input to future Chief Officers on the Executive Leadership Programme and since 2022 I have been a co-director of the Internal Communications and Campaign Course (ICC) run on behalf of PCTD (PolComm Training and Development). I supported the design of the immersive course and personally train police communicators in strategic internal communications.
Development
In my tenure as Vice Chair, I have developed and implemented a national mentoring scheme which continues to grow. In the last two years I have increased the number of mentors by 38% supporting over 40 APComm members who work for police forces and organisations in England, Scotland, and Wales.
More recently I have focused on income generation to re-invest in the training and development of members as we go into 2026. For the first time in APComm history sponsorship contributions have almost matched membership fees, raising over £15k that can be used to widen our training offer. This stronger commercial approach is something I would want to build on as Chair, especially with the challenging financial situation in forces and police organisations.
Support
Supporting and developing police communicators within my own force and the wider policing family continues to motivate me and bring personal satisfaction. I currently mentor both officers and staff from across policing and wider law enforcement. This year I have also offered support to the national Senior Police Staff Network (SPSN) to further promote the value and expertise that comes from police staff at the Executive level. There is an opportunity to further strengthen the APComm mentoring scheme by teaming up with the SPSN. This would widen the pool of mentors for our members and connect us with other professional disciplines in policing nationally.
I am proud to work in policing communications, and to serve as one of your Vice Chairs for APComm. I am committed to further developing our profession and believe that APComm can continue to be an influential body across policing for the benefit of our members. Should you elect me as Co-Chair I would begin by meeting with all the regions, through their nominated lead, to further understand what more APComm can do for you.