Meet the VRU Team
Members of the VRU team have experience and qualifications in crime investigation and intelligence, youth offending, adolescent early help and family support, youth work, data analysis and project management.
Below you can meet our team and find out a bit more about each team member:
CH/INSPECTOR Elizabeth Jones
VRU DIRECTOR - CHIEF INSPECTOR
I have served as a police officer since 2006 within the MPS and Kent Police. I have operated in front line uniform roles in the most challenging and diverse areas of central London and have specialised as a detective in complex child abuse and exploitation cases. Within Kent Police, I have led in Detective and Neighbourhood Inspector roles and held a District Commander position. Safeguarding our young people and providing them with the opportunities to thrive is everyone’s business. We all want to see excellent outcomes for the young person and whole communities. Our trauma-informed partnership work starts with early identification of at-risk young people, and ends when we see meaningful, enduring and evidenced change.”
Gary Painter
VRU CO-ORDINATOR
"I have worked for Kent Police since 2007 as a Police Community Support Officer, Supervisor, Police Officer and I am currently now a Police Staff member working as a VRU Co-ordinator.
I have spent most of career directly involved in community safety and partnership agency roles, working alongside district councils, Early Help, Social Workers, Youth Justice Workers and various charities. All of which has been aimed at supporting young people in the community, finding ways to keep people safe and giving them the best chance to have a positive future."
EMMA CLARK
VRU CO-ORDINATOR
"I have worked for Kent Police for over 20 years. I have operational knowledge and experience in different roles across the force including crime management, being an investigator and a team manager.
All of my roles have involved working with partner agencies, using a collaborative approach to tackle the issues faced."
Joanne Robson
VRU CO-ORDINATOR
"During my 27 years with Kent Police I have undertaken various roles, all of which have provided me with experience, knowledge, and resources that I now bring to the VRU co-ordinator role.
Using my previous experiences of early intervention and collaborative working I look forward to supporting and educating young people, helping to build safer communities, and working to build a positive, safer future."
Swanny Cheema
Beckee Barton
ANALYST
"I joined Kent Police as an Intelligence Analyst straight out of university. I was very briefly an analyst for the Knife and Firearms Team and then joined the VRU in November 2019.
My work includes analysis of a wide range of intelligence, statistics and information from a range of partner agencies as well as police data.
Claire Read
ANALYST TEAM LEADER
"I have worked for Kent Police for over 30 years, with at least 20 years of analytical experience across various themes.
In more recent years my roles have involved partnership working and using a collaborative approach in analysis to identify strategic and tactical aims with a focus on the vulnerability or criminality of young people".