Assistant Chief Constable Chris Sykes awarded KPM in King’s Birthday Honours

We are delighted to announce that Assistant Chief Constable Chris Sykes has been awarded a King’s Police Medal (KPM) in the King’s Birthday Honours, 13 June 2026.

His award, in recognition of services to policing, and most notably, his work in redefining the relationship between British policing and the Armed Forces Community (AFC). Chris not only serves as a senior officer in one of the UK’s most demanding forces, he has voluntarily dedicated thousands of hours to transform Greater Manchester Police (GMP) from an organisation with no formal veteran support into the national gold standard, creating a scalable blueprint, adopted nationally in the UK in 2025.

Assistant Chief Constable Sykes KPM, responding to the award said: “I feel very honoured to have been recognised in this way, by HM The King. It is my absolute privilege to do this job and for so many years.

“I am fortunate to be in a position that enables me to highlight and influence at a senior level, and across the UK, the selflessness and sacrifice veterans make in serving our country. We owe them a debt of gratitude, and I will continue to do all I can to ensure policing helps to pay that back. I also want to take the opportunity to thank others who have supported me in accomplishing the initiatives that have led to this award – this honour is reflective of the support I have received in delivering this important work.”

Chris’ work, a pioneering initiative to identify and support vulnerable veterans in receiving the mental health interventions they needed, instead of entering a cycle of reoffending. His work in this area saw referrals to the charity Op Nova increase from just 36 in 2018 to 444 in 2024 and the numbers only continue to rise.

In 2021, Chris pioneered a unique partnership where GMP negotiators provide de-escalation training to veteran caseworkers at no cost – more than 50 specialists have been trained, including the Royal British Legion’s National Urgent Support Team, directly preventing veteran suicides on a national scale.

Chris also helped develop the ‘Forcer Protocol’, revolutionising the search for missing veterans at risk of suicide. Under his direction, this has been successfully scaled to multiple UK forces under his personal guidance.

Further to this, Chris established and continues to chair GMP’s Supporting Our Armed Forces Strategic Steering Group, overhauling recruitment to mandate the identification of military service, ensuring no veteran is invisible.

Chris has worked with the NPCC, chairing national forums for 47 UK forces, including the Royal Gibraltar Police. His work also extends to serving reservists, advocating for more paid leave – exceeding national requirements – personally reviewing every mobilisation request. Previous mobilisations have led to his staff receiving their own honours, including an MBE, in recognition of their services.

Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police, Sir Stephen Watson said: “Chris is a thoroughly deserving recipient of the King’s Police Medal and I couldn’t be prouder to see him recognised for his dedication to policing, and markedly his important, and meaningful, work for the Armed Forces Community.

“Chris identified a critical gap in veteran care, described as a silent transition into the criminal justice system. As a result, he personally drove the implementation of automated referrals for vulnerable veterans in custody. This was not simply a standard police requirement; it was his vision for better care and treatment for veterans.

“It cannot be underestimated how many lives have been changed for the better as a result, and more so when considered with his dedication to the Forcer Protocol and recruitment of veterans to GMP. Chris personally welcomes every veteran who joins the force, fostering a culture of belonging for the more than 250 Armed Forces Champions.

“Put simply, Chris is a visionary reformer as well as a dedicated, highly experienced, and well-respected and liked senior officer. His commitment to bridging the gap between policing and the military alone has ensured those who served the country are protected by the system they once defended. His legacy is a safer, more compassionate UK for the entire Armed Forces Community.”