LONDON, June 30  –  A national initiative to monitor sexual orientation within the UK Police Service will be announced later today at ‘Celebrate’ the 2005 European Gay Police Conference in West London.

The scheme reflects best practice and a determination on the part of the UK Police Service to meet the Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003 which came into force on 1 December 2003.

Developed through a partnership that included representatives from the Gay Police Association (GPA) the Association of Chief Police officers (ACPO) and the Home Office the scheme has been piloted in three force areas (Bedfordshire, Lancashire & Leicestershire).

Each of the pilot Forces undertook a staff/working environment survey. This incorporated sexual orientation monitoring for the first time in the terms advised by the GPA.

The question asked.  How do you identify your sexual orientation: Bi-sexual, Gay/lesbian, Heterosexual, Prefer not to say

In all three pilot forces the staff/working environment survey returns were on a par with other such similar surveys conducted in the past.  Encouragingly the results indicated that some staff within these forces felt able to identify their sexual orientation as other than heterosexual, with only small percentage of staff in each Force indicated a preference ‘not to say’.

Vic Codling, Training Manager of the GPA said “It should be stressed that the aim of sexual orientation monitoring is by no means an attempt to establish any form of ‘quota’,” said Vic Codling, Training Manager of the GPA.

“Indeed, there is clearly no need to do so as gay, lesbian and bi-sexual staff are already represented in every police organisation.

“This initiative is intended to adjust police institutionally homophobic culture where it exists, in order for all gay police officers and staff to have the opportunity to be open about their sexual orientation if they choose and to do so with dignity and without prejudice,” he stressed

LINKS

Gay Police Association website

30 June  2005