A former police officer has joined Truro Cathedral’s safeguarding team. 

Following a career of 15 years with Devon and Cornwall Police, Joanne Pomery joins the diocese as assistant diocesan safeguarding officer, and safeguarding officer for Truro Cathedral. 

The roles tap into the Church of England’s rigorous safeguarding policies, ranging from DBS checks for all staff to training to recognise and respond to vulnerable members of the community. 

Jo was born in Middlesex but grew up in Cornwall, after her parents decided it was a good place to raise a family and established a small village shop in Porthcothan Bay on the north coast. 

She went to school in Wadebridge and studied at Truro College before working in retail, including spent a decade running the wetsuit sales team for Bodmin-based watersports brand GUL International.

She joined the police in 2008, completing her training the following February. She worked in the police response teams in Truro and St Austell, before moving into an investigative role, and then joining the domestic abuse investigation team. 

Her most recent position was as an offender manager in the management of serious sexual and violent offenders, as part of the public protection unit at Devon and Cornwall Police. Her job involved making unannounced home visits to monitor convicted sex offenders as part of the process of ensuring public safety.

“I’d always had an interest in joining the police,” said Jo. “It was an interesting role. It’s a funny thing to say you enjoy doing, but at its heart, it’s about safeguarding communities and vulnerable people.”

When she saw her new role advertised, she was struck by how her police duties would prepare her for safeguarding responsibilities in the church. 

“I thought my existing skills would transfer quite well, to make a difference and help people in a rather more positive environment than what I’ve recently been used to,” she says.

Her first priority, she stresses, is to safeguard vulnerable people and to focus on survivors, to make sure their voices are heard. 

“Safeguarding can only be a positive thing for everyone,” she said. 

“It’s about supporting each other. We’re just working in the church to align ourselves with what the public sector and statutory agencies are doing. 

“I’m very keen to allay any worries about that.”

She says she’s really excited about starting her new job. “It’s a really nice opportunity to learn something very new - and there’s a lot to learn.”