Moray’s first female divisional commander has been awarded the King’s Police Medal.
Sharon Milton, who recently retired from her role as chief superintendent has received the accolade – reserved for those with a “specially distinguished record in police specific services of conspicuous merit”.
Mrs Milton joined Avon and Somerset Police in August 1994 before transferring to Grampian Police in February 1997, spending the remainder of her career in Scotland.
The majority of her service was been in the north-east, where she started out as a constable in Inverurie. As a sergeant she worked in south Aberdeenshire, which included a three-month secondment to Ballater when the Royals were in residence at Balmoral.
She rose through the ranks – becoming the first female divisional commander of Moray. During that time she oversaw the emergency response to widespread flooding across Moray in September 2009.
The mother-of-two also helped establish the Aberdeen Division within Police Scotland, and was one of two superintendents working in the city. She was also the vice chair of Aberdeen Alcohol and Drug Partnership and is a tactical firearms commander.
Loves being mum and police officer
Speaking about her career in 2014, Mrs Milton said she loved being able to be a police officer and mum.
“I love the fact that I can do both these things,” she said.
“When I joined the police 20 years ago, the few women police officers at ‘the top’ largely had to decide between career or family.
“There were very few examples of women in senior roles and even fewer who had a family. There is now a woman working in every rank and every role in the police.”
Led security arrangements for COP26
Several career highlights she also mentioned were policing the G8 Summit, working as an operational sergeant in Fraserburgh and being the divisional commander in Moray.
When she was promoted to chief superintendent in 2016, she was also diagnosed with stage-three breast cancer.
After being successfully treated for the disease, she undertook a gruelling skiing marathon in 2018 through the Arctic and raised £15,000 for charity.
Drawing on her experience of being in charge of planning for emergencies and events, Mrs Milton went on to lead the police protective security arrangements for COP26.
This included being in charge of the safety and security of over 120 world leaders which she later admitted “shredded her nerves”.
Speaking today, she said: “I’m really chuffed to have been personally recognised. Policing is a team endeavour and I’ve been fortunate to have worked with some amazing people and to have had the support of my friends and family during a challenging and fulfilling police career.”
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