Theresa May calls for more female police officers to tackle 'changing face of crime'

The Home Secretary will outline in a speech the need to increase the number of women in police forces across England and Wales
Changing face of the police: Mrs May has made improving diversity in police forces a key issue during her time as Home Secretary
Peter Byrne/PA Wire
Jamie Bullen2 December 2015

Police forces must recruit more female officers to tackle the "changing face of crime", Theresa May will say today.

The Home Secretary will argue more women are needed to improve diversity despite making up a greater proportion of the service than at any other time.

Figures in March show there were 35,738 female officers across the 43 forces in England and Wales, representing 28.2 per cent of the total number.

In 2000, the proportion of female officers stood at 16.5 per cent.

The number of women appointed to senior roles has also increased, with 43 at chief officer rank, more than 20 per cent of the total number.

Senior role: Lynne Owens the chief constable of Surrey Police has been appointed the new chief of the National Crime Agency

In a speech celebrating women’s achievements in the police, Mrs May will say: “The fact that we have a higher proportion of female police officers than ever before, more women in senior positions and more women in a diverse range of roles, is no accident.

35,738 


 female officers across the 43 forces in England and Wales

"It is the result of the hard work of women in police forces up and down the country.

"While we have come a long way, we must go further if we are to ensure greater diversity and truly modern police forces that reflect the communities they serve and provide police officers able to tackle not only traditional crime but also the changing face of crime."

Mrs May will describe how policing was dominated by men a century ago, adding her department was among the first to challenge the recruitment of female officers.

She will say: "Shortly after the appointment of Britain's first ever female police constable with officials powers of arrest, the Home Office declared that women could not be sworn in as police officers because they were not deemed 'proper persons'.

"It makes you wonder what those Home Office officials would say now to having a female Home Secretary."

Increasing police diversity has become as a key issue for Mrs May.

In October she said the lack of black and minority ethnic officers at some forces was "simply not good enough".

Women in senior policing roles include Lynne Owens, the chief constable of Surrey who has been appointed as the next head of the National Crime Agency, and Sara Thornton, the chair of the National Police Chief's Council.

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