Female officers crucial to policing, says chief after ‘diminishing' comments by Reform MP

The Guardian

4 days ago

Police chiefs have criticised Reform UK's 'diminishing' of female police officers, when, during its launch of law and order policies, it said women should patrol only with a 'big, strapping' male constable.
On Monday the rightwing party tried to establish itself as the party of law and order but Sarah Pochin, its justice spokesperson, said she did not like seeing two women together on patrol.
Gavin Stephens, the chair of the National Police Chiefs' Council, hit back at the claims by saying that female officers were 'critical' to tackling crime.
Stephens said: 'There are an increasing number of women who choose a career in policing, bringing with them vital skills and experience that are critical to the progress of policing, our role in society, and keeping the public safe.
'Over a third of our officers and around 40% of our chief constables are women, and we must not jeopardise our progress by diminishing the value and role women play in our workforce.
'There are no roles in policing which women cannot do, and the same exacting standards to qualify are met by all men and women who undertake some of the most challenging tasks of any profession.
'We celebrate that women have an essential and irreplaceable role in every aspect of policing across the United Kingdom; policing is at its best when it represents the communities it serves, and our priority continues to be making policing a career where anyone can thrive and make a difference.'
Launching a suite of promises on law and order on Monday, Reform;s leader, Nigel Farage, said that criminals should 'slightly fear the police', adding 'that is a desirable place for us to be as a society'.
Later Pochin, Reform's justice spokesperson who is also the MP for Runcorn and Helsby, told the BBC 'I never feel comfortable actually seeing two female officers together. I'd much rather see a great big strapping male police officer with a female.'
She added that women police officers 'look vulnerable' and should be deployed to 'more sensitive situations', such as dealing with children or women who have suffered from domestic violence.
One chief constable told the Guardian that not just chiefs were annoyed, but rank-and-file officers also: 'It takes us back 30 years, and it has annoyed my work force as well. To suggest women officers are not equal because they are not of a certain size and shape, is a disservice.'
The chief said physical confrontation was nowadays a 'minuscule' part of the job and women were also more likely to make an arrest without the need for force.
Reform UK also pledged 30,000 more officers, costing an estimated £2bn.
The chief said that up to 40% of new recruits were women, and that Reform's comments would deter women from joining if the party was looking to boost police numbers.