NEWS

Lack of diversity revealed in Gloucestershire Constabulary

Gloucestershire Constabulary is under criticism after a recent government study revealed a lack of ethnic diversity amongst it’s officers.

The 2016 review of the national workforce demonstrated little progress in creating diversity throughout Gloucestershire.

Figures for Gloucestershire revealed that non-white officers made up  2.1% of the 1,200 police force. In comparison, the highest percentage was Bedfordshire Police with 22.5% of their 1,000 officers being non-white.

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Gloucestershire police station in Hester’s Way, Cheltenham

Dr Andrew Stafford, Lecturer in Criminology at the University of Gloucestershire, said: “It’s really important  that the college of policing make sure they make efforts to be representative of the community. For Gloucestershire, they need to ensure that they are representative of the workers that live within it’s force boundaries.”

The study also revealed that women only account for less than a quarter (22.9%) of senior positions within the Gloucestershire organisation, despite having a female Chief Constable Suzette Davenport.

Dr Stafford added: “It’s certainly a great thing (to employ females) as it’s really important there are females in places of authority amongst the force and I hope it’s something we continue to see.”

“It’s one of the key ways in ensuring the constabulary can lead in new directions and achieve good things”.

Both Gloucestershire Constabulary and the Gloucestershire Police Federation declined an interview, but in the Constabulary’s Equality Scheme the force claims aims to ensure that:

The principles and ethics of equality and diversity must be incorporated into all areas of Police activity. We will seek to ensure that we provide an individual, fair and equitable service both externally to our communities and internally to each other. 

Equality Scheme 

Gloucestershire Constabulary

The Police Workforce study, carried out in March 2016, found that 5.9% of the nation’s police force were Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) as of 31 March 2016, a higher proportion than any of the previous ten years.

London Metropolitan Police force have one of the highest percentage of BME officers to population.
London Metropolitan Police force have one of the highest percentage of BME officers to population.

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