Dame Sara Joanne Thornton, DBE, QPM (born 27 December 1962) was the UK's Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner from May 2019 until April 2022.

[1] She was appointed[2] by the Home Secretary at the time, Sajid Javid, in succession to Kevin Hyland who left the post in May 2018.

For the next 14 years she alternated between operational postings in West London and strategic roles within New Scotland Yard.

"[11] In March 2019, following a spate of knife murders involving young people around the UK,[12] Thornton called for the situation to be treated as a national emergency.

[14] Thornton also said, "In response to this significant threat, the government is increasing the money it spends on terrorism from £11.7bn to £15.1bn but only about £700m per annum is spent on policing.

"[15] She has also expressed the view that the law against race discrimination in hiring practices should be revoked thus making it legal for institutions to exercise positive race discrimination when hiring, with a view to increasing the percentage of BAME police officers in England and Wales.

The Commissioner has a UK-wide remit to encourage good practice in the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of modern slavery offences and the identification of victims.

In March 2020, Thornton said that the local authorities and not Home Office should make decisions on child trafficking cases.