Women police officers must not be discriminated against in
recruitment, retention and progression in the police service, Home
Office Minister Charles Clarke told the National Senior Women Police
Officers Conference in Blackpool today.

In his speech, Mr Clarke outlined a range of initiatives which the
Home Office was currently undertaking to improve working practices
for women police officers. They included:

• The development of national recruitment standards to ensure
  non-discriminatory practices;
  
• Carrying out research into female retention and progression in the
  police service to establish whether targets need to be set; and
  
• Consultation with the Police Advisory Body about guidance to
  police forces about part-time working.

“Fairness in the police service, or anywhere else, is never a luxury
bolt-on. Without fairness an organisation cannot function to its full
potential, and nowhere is this more important than in the police
service.”

“We need a police service which will draw on the talents and the
potential of all parts of society. This naturally includes women and
I believe that those within and outside of the police now accept that
female officers can and do contribute at all levels on an equal
footing.”

“The measures that are being put in place will play a valuable part
in ensuring that working practices are to the benefit of all
officers, regardless of gender or ethnic origin.”