British APCO Appoints 5 Additional Trustees to its Board

In light of their recent Trustee Recruitment initiative, British APCO welcomed five new trustees—Rhiannon Beeson, Jeremy Habberley, Teressa Latimer, Matt Leat, and Tracy Pemberton—to the Board.

At this momentous juncture for the Association, the addition of Trustees who can contribute fresh perspectives and ideas will aid in the expansion and development of British APCO. Chris Lucas, chairman of the British APCO, provided context for the new appointments by stating:

"Our ambitious strategic plans guarantee the sustained advancement of our influence in the field of public safety IT & communications." These appointments serve to enhance our governance structure and guarantee that British APCO is effectively fulfilling its philanthropic objectives.
"As a Board, we were encouraged by the caliber and quantity of applications and would like to extend our gratitude to everyone who took the time and made the effort to apply," Chris continued.

Rhiannon Beesons' twenty years of experience in event planning and marketing will be of immeasurable assistance to the Association as it expands. Beeson, who has served as Chair of the Humber Voluntary Board and as a Trustee at Sailor's Children's Society, is eager to contribute her expertise and knowledge in the field to the advancement of British APCO. She is deeply devoted to the technology and holds the personnel in Critical Control Rooms in the highest regard.

Jeremy Habberley has over two decades of experience in the fields of technology and public protection. During this time, he has witnessed British APCO fulfill the critical function of facilitating communication between suppliers and end users, thereby ensuring that stakeholders have access to accurate information and guidance through an impartial forum and voice. Habberley believes that as the difficulties faced by blue light organizations increase annually, the function of British APCO will become even more critical and pertinent. Becoming a Trustee enables him to contribute to the effort to ensure that emergency responders have complete access to and benefit from the most recent solutions that enable them to perform their critical duties in a secure and efficient manner.

Teressa Latimer held the position of Head of Business Relationship Management at Airwave until September 2023. In this role, she oversaw the customer relationships with all public safety and emergency service organizations that utilized the Airwave radio service, as well as their respective stakeholders. Initially, she was employed by BT as a telephone operator who responded to 999 emergency calls from the general public in moments of personal crisis. Her twenty-two years of service to Airwave, during which she oversaw the planning and construction of requirements for a multitude of major special events and ensured the availability of the mission critical radio service in response to 999 calls, have solidified her understanding of the significance of secure mission critical communications for user organizations and the communities they serve. Teressa, an ardent supporter of British APCO for many years, eagerly anticipates contributing her experience, dedication, and vitality to the team and the broader British APCO community, as she is not yet prepared for complete retirement.

Matt Leat is an Assistant Chief Coastguard with over 22 years of experience and volunteerism in the public safety sector, where he has held positions of operational, tactical, and strategic command. His expertise is unparalleled with regard to operational requirements that are vital for the United Kingdom to fulfil its international obligations under the Safety of Life at Sea convention. Leat has long advocated for the British APCO's work across public safety organisations in the United Kingdom and Ireland, in addition to serving as a voice for Search and Rescue services in alignment with other blue light services. Matt has been a member of the Executive Committee/Advisory Group for the British APCO for a number of years. He is eager to continue this support.

In 2023, Tracy Pemberton concluded her tenure as a Senior Officer with the Hertfordshire Constabulary, an organisation during which she specialised in the investigation of serious and organised crime. She concluded her professional journey by establishing a successful track record of leading and delivering highly complex, strategic change programs in the eastern region, where she worked across the seven forces. In this role, she adeptly managed risk in order to propel business transformation and digital innovation. Pemberton has recently commenced a fresh professional journey with the Police Digital Services (PDS), where she is tasked with overseeing the Digital Landscape Reform Programme. This initiative entails the transfer, ownership, and management of National Police IT Systems to the sector, for which PDS has been designated as the agreed delivery partner for policing.

At the Annual Event in Coventry, current Board members Chris Lucas, John Anthony, Becca Jones, and Darryl Keen eagerly anticipate working with the new members and formally introducing them to the British APCO community.