NEWS INBRIEF
FIGHT FALLING MORALE BY BELIEVING IN YOURSELF
An agenda for change
THE progression and retention of women in the police service, ensuring women have a voice in key police reform and the changing nature of the front line were all highlighted as key issues within research carried out for Gender Agenda 3.
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The work was carried out by
BAWP vice president Ellie Bird has urged members to stick with policing and believe they can get through these challenging times. Her comments were prompted by the
results of an independent Police Commission survey which revealed four in 10 female officers had considered leaving the service. The study suggested this was because of
low morale caused by a lack of flexible working and issues with childcare. It also revealed many female officers were pessimistic about the future of the police service. The IPC consulted with 3,410 female
officers in England and Wales for the study, the results of which were released in late July. “The BAWP has been campaigning for
nearly 25 years for forces to introduce flexible working and to work with women to find mutually agreeable working patterns,” said Ellie. “Some forces do this very well, others, because of the spending cuts, are finding it more challenging.” The police service is experiencing an
unprecedented level of change, not least with reforms to police pensions and possible redundancies for police staff, and soon, officers. “I recognise how difficult it can be to find the energy to just keep going; none of us like the sense of treading water or standing still,” added Ellie, “but I don’t believe leaving the service is the best option for most women. Being a part of delivering the best possible
Chief Superintendent Ellie Bird “I don’t believe leaving the service is the best option”
service to our communities is unique. The sense of reward and satisfaction can be greater if we achieve this through a series of ups and downs. It is time to believe in yourself and dig in harder, we will get through this and may even be stronger people at the end of it.” BAWP, as an association, encourages members to take responsibility for their own personal development and Ellie says this is the time to do just that. “You need to be prepared for opportunities when they do arise. Have you achieved every goal you defined in your action plan? Have you taken time to reflect on how you could improve your own skills and abilities, and have you made the most of the networks that have been established?”9
Manchester Metropolitan University lecturers Dr Wendy Laverick and Liz Cain through interviews and literature reviews. The initial report is now being looked at in detail by members of the BAWP committee. 5 Find out more in the next issue of Grapevine – out January 2013. 9
Numbers of women
in policing WOMEN account for 28.3 per cent of all new recruits to policing according to the Police Service Strength Data to March 2012.
It also revealed that despite an overall decrease in the number of officers there was a slight increase in the number of women in policing to 26.8 per cent. The number of women at the rank of chief inspector and above was also up from 14.8 per cent to 16.3 per cent. Women are much better represented within police staff making up 68.5 per cent of all police staff and nearly half of all PCSOs (46.7 per cent). Within the special constabulary
women account for 31 per cent of their total number. To download a pdf of Police Service Strengh, go to
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/ publications and search for Police Service Strength. 9
GRAPEVINE Autumn 2012
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