Avon & Somerset Sergeant dedicated to her team’s wellbeing wins Supervisor of the Year Award

12 October 2026

A sergeant who is dedicated to her team’s wellbeing and leads with empathy and understanding, has won the Supervisor of the Year Award at the Avon & Somerset Police Federation Recognition Awards.

Sgt Esther Lawson, who has been an officer for over 20 years, is currently the sergeant on the Hinkley Point neighbourhood policing team.

This is a demanding role, as she not only manages her team but also deals with the demands of working alongside the private sector and policing a public infrastructure build project.Throughout Sgt Lawson’s career, she has also made an

contribution through her work tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) in Somerset, including organising women’s safety patrols in Bridgwater.

One officer who worked with her said: “She puts the welfare of her colleagues before anything else. I have not only seen how Esther supports other colleagues experiencing hardships in life, but also experienced the warmth, support and compassion she gives when I experienced injury and family issues myself.”

Another colleague said: “Sgt Lawson is inspirational. She is exceptionally supportive, approachable and respected, not just by her own team but also by colleagues across wider policing teams who regularly seek her advice and guidance. She shows genuine understanding of the demands of home life, particularly for officers with young families, and leads by example through her strong work ethic and professionalism.”

Sgt Lawson goes above and beyond to ensure her officers are supported to the highest possible standard. She conducts regular one-to-one meetings, actively monitors workloads and outstanding actions, and frequently takes personal responsibility for reducing pressure on her team, demonstrating both leadership and a proactive policing approach.

She said: “Policing is so hard now compared to 20 years ago. We didn't have the social media pressure, we didn't have the societal pressure and the criticism of police that we have now, and the lack of trust and confidence in policing.

“The people who come to do this job have a passion to serve the public. So for me it's about how I can make that easier and take the pressure and strain off them.

“It's also about building that initial trust in a relationship with your staff, getting to know them. I know all my team's partners, their children, and what their circumstances are. If they need to vent about anything, they can. If they've got any worries or concerns, we can address it and make adjustments where we need to. That way, I find that they’ll think: ‘Okay, everything else is fine. It's sorted. I've got the confidence to go out there and just do my job and tackle it’.”

Sgt Lawson also works with officers from the wider Sedgemoor Neighbourhood team, and said: “I offer them the same support as my direct team, in the absence of their line managers, to ensure they have a friendly face to come to if they need anything.”

When Sgt Lawson heard she was winning a Federation award, she said: “I was absolutely blown away. I am very humbled by it, because I'm just doing my job. For me, being a good supervisor is just treating people how you want to be treated, it's really not any more difficult than that.”

Avon & Somerset Police Federation Chair Tom Gent said: “Esther is an outstanding supervisor who leads with humanity and has created a positive, highly motivated team. She helps develop and empower others, encouraging confidence and professional growth.

“We are very lucky to have her in our force.”

Sgt Lawson will attend the Avon & Somerset Police Federation Recognition Awards 2026 on Thursday 15 October.

The lead sponsor for the Awards is Axon.

Also sponsoring are Serve and Protect Credit Union, Gallagher, Niche, Uniform Mortgages, Accord, Police Friendly, Warren & Co, Ginge Tours, Bluline Health, No1 Copperpot Credit Union and Police Mortgages.