Chip

Police to declare their sexuality in plan for more gays in force


BRITAIN’S police are to be asked to reveal their sexual orientation under a plan to increase the proportion of gay and lesbian officers to up to 10%.
New recruits and officers seeking promotion will be asked to state whether they are straight, gay or bisexual. Where the number of gay officers is found wanting, “gay-friendly” recruitment campaigns will be launched to boost numbers.

The scheme has been agreed by the Gay Police Association (GPA) and the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo), which represents the leaders of all 43 forces in England and Wales. Pilot schemes will be launched in London, Bedfordshire and possibly Manchester in the spring, with other forces expected to follow by the end of the year.

The project will be piloted in the spring in three forces, including Metropolitan and Bedfordshire police, and assessed after six months before it is rolled out nationally by the end of the year. Greater Manchester police has expressed an interest in taking part in the pilot but has yet to confirm its participation.

The initiative faces criticism in some quarters. Ann Widdecombe, the Tory MP, said: “It seems to me to be unbelievably intrusive. It’s another raft of bureaucracy, apparently self- inflicted, when the police are already complaining about government bureaucracy. I would think they had enough to do fighting burglary.”

Martin Stuart, assistant chief constable of Bedfordshire police and the Acpo member responsible for the project, said that the police service needed more gay officers.

“We’re trying to be a service which is representative of the wider community and that goes beyond race, gender and disability,” said Stuart.

Bernard McEldowney, treasurer of the GPA, said: “There is an assumption that gay police officers are effeminate and lesbian officers are butch. This is nonsense. We have gay men in firearms units who are just as effective as their straight colleagues.”

New laws introduced last month explicitly prohibit discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation in employment for the first time.

It is thought that gay and lesbian people account for about 6% of the population, although the figure is as high as 10% in London and other cities.

Numbers in the police are not yet known but their profile has been raised markedly in recent years by a number of senior officers who have “come out” as gay.

For the first time last year gay police officers were allowed to join the national gay pride parade in London, dressed in uniform.

I always thought the police were there to catch burglars not recruit them

As weve got the gay lot and the Assoc of black officers why not have the Assoc of white, married, christian police officers. But no we wont get that will we cos that would be either homophobic or racist.

Chip.


[Edited by Chip - 1/5/2004 6:58:36 PM]

Katana

We need more bisexual lady officers who loves playing the handcuffs to frisk me during the weekend. Now the misus won't be able to find an excuse to castrate me because the police was just doin their job. A win-win situation..

ianmiller999

Why do they keep trying to increase % of these types of people etc.

If they want to be seen to give equal rights either do not try to employee a specific percentage of people, or employee a percentage of type of people reflecting that of there type in the percentage of the population of Britain

Chip

Surely when it comes to employing anyone for any job then you should take the most suitable person for that particular role no matter what.

It just smacks of political correctness as always.

Chip.

[Edited by Chip - 1/5/2004 9:22:17 PM]

Luke

Not going to say a word...Some of you lot start getting your nickers in a twist and complain to the mods.

Sad lot....

J S W

I saw a job advertised by BT recently and it read
"applications from ethnic minorities and disabled people will be looked upon favourably"

This is due to their quota of the above being below what it should.

If it read

"applications from white british people will be looked upon favourably"

There would be bloody uproar and it makes me sick.

This is not me being racist.

This is me being a victim of racism.


James


Waiting for thread to be closed.

Crapaud62

I've never understood this PC crap about being "representative of the community". If I ever need the police I simply want one that can do the job. I won't demand a copper who shares all my common interests!!!

If car theives make up 1% of the general population then do the police have to have 1% of their recruits from this pool????

TelBoy

Can i just say that "fetish" only has one t?

Ian Griffiths

Ann Widdecombe spot on the ball as always.

Sith

I find the story really funny but sad at the same time.

There will be people who don't want to admit to being gay, those who are unsure.

But why should people with certain sexual preferances be targeted. Too many institutions now have quotas they have too meet.
Soon if your white, male, heterosexual and British you won't be allowed to work in the UK as your not a 'minority' group.

Pathetic.