In a move to make recruits’ applications more inclusive, the Police Service will be asking candidates to tick box their sexuality as either heterosexual, bisexual, gay, lesbian or prefer not to say as of October.
The Gay Police Association (GPA) said it supports the move. Speaking to HRZone, GPA’s Vic Codling said: “The Police Force now openly recruit among the gay community at events including the Mardis Gras and in the gay press.
“The current equal opportunities monitoring form asks applicants to detail their marital status, which clearly excludes this group.”
The GPA and the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) are piloting a new cultural audit with three of the Police Forces, Lancashire, Leicestershire and Bedfordshire. This cultural audit will incorporate the monitoring of sexuality together with the option to make no declaration of this kind.
In addition to this pilot scheme, the Home Office have agreed to reprint the Police recruitment application forms to incorporate the options to specify sexuality. The new forms will be available as of October.
Andy Forrest, of gay lobby group Stonewall commented: “Stonewall supports monitoring of sexual orientation as long as the reasons for it are explained to staff and workers are assured of anonymity. You also have to assure individuals of confidentiality and that they are not obliged to answer.”
