Police force uniforms to be ‘gender neutral’
AWELSH police force is dropping different uniforms for male and female officers to make it more friendly for transgender people.
More than 1,000 policemen and women will ditch their different helmets, hats, ties and cravats for matching “gender neutral” outfits as they pound the beat.
And the uniform switch is one of 18 gender changes being brought in by chiefs at Dyfed-Powys Police.
The force will make changes after admitting transgender people have been “adversely impacted” by the police officers.
The 1,195-stong force has employed a Gender Identity Working Group to make it more transgender friendly – such as making custody cells at police stations and toilets “gender neutral” and ditching terms such as policeman and policewoman.
Assistant Chief Constable Liane James said: “As a force we have learnt that there may have been times when our practices and procedures have adversely impacted our trans communities and their engagement with us. This isn’t right. We have been actively working with these communities to improve our service to them.”
At the moment women police officers wear a rounded hat and a cravat while male police officers wear their traditional custodian helmet and tie. But this will change over the next year. All officers will wear a unisex hat and neckwear to “minimise gender differences”.
The force warned that different uniforms based on sex could lead to transgender officers “being forced into non-public facing roles” and being forced to “out themselves” in the workplace when they may not wish to.
Ms James said: “Dyfed-Powys Police is committed to providing a fair and equal service to all those we serve and therefore, I am pleased to confirm that we have committed to all 18 recommendations made by the Gender Identity Working Group.”
Gay rights campaigners Stonewall praised the move. A spokesman said: “We know that LGBT people, and trans people in particular, don’t always feel confident that the police will understand their needs. It’s crucial therefore that police forces work with LGBT communities in order to improve services and it’s great to see this continued commitment from Dyfed-Powys to trans-inclusion as an employer and service provider for all.”
But Tory MP David Davies, a former British Transport Police special constable, hit out at the “gender neutral” scheme for police uniforms.
Mr Davies said: “It strikes me as ludicrous and just a way of trying to win brownie points by pandering to minority groups. The only major difference in uniforms now are the hats but I don’t think minority groups are going to be bothered anyway about the headgear worn by men and women officers.”