Complaints against officers

[Fedster + 1,307]

Guidelines educate officers on 'generally unfamiliar' topic.

Credit: National LGBT Police Network

Date - 13th November 2018
By - Sophie Garrod - Police Oracle

 

Senior and serving officers have been provided with a “toolkit” which gives advice on how to treat transgender colleagues.

The Police Superintendents’ Association has worked with Stonewall, Surrey Police and PCC David Munro, on new guidance to support those who manage trans staff and officers, or those who wish to transition.

For managers, it educates them on how to react and what to say to staff members.

There is checklist template for managers for things such as workplace adjustments or redeployment options, preferred titles and pronouns or if they have considered referring them to occupational health.

It also advises officers to discuss with their trans colleague how they would like to be addressed. If they are unsure it suggests they could refer to them by their rank rather than sir or ma’am.

Transitioning individuals may wish to change post or location either temporarily or permanently, it explains, as some duties may be difficult to undertake during medical treatment, the public may question them or clothing changes may impact their role, such as wigs or binders.

Forces’ shoulder numbers policies should also be flexible where possible, particularly where they are gender specific, it says, however issues need to be kept in mind with any changes including whether a new number matches the length of service or when a number is recycled.

Showering and changing facilities should ideally always include male, female and gender neutral options, it added, and in older buildings cubicles and non-communal facilities should be built in.

The guidance also has a glossary of terms including “intersex - a term used to describe a person who may have the biological attributes of both sexes or whose biological attributes don't fit with societal assumptions about what constitutes male or female” and “gender fluid’ - a person whose gender is not static and changes throughout their life."

Project lead Superintendent Clinton Blackburn, co-chairman of the national LGBT network, said: “The process of transitioning can be extremely challenging for the individual as well as managers or colleagues alike.

“It is generally unfamiliar ground for people and the aim of this guidance is to try to give as much help and support as possible.

“As a manager, your role is to know your people and what to do to get the best out of them.

“The guidance will help us to ensure that we are providing the right support for their trans colleagues so people can feel true themselves at work.

“It will also help policing to become an employer of choice for the trans community.

“Every trans individual’s experience is different and no journey will be the same, so the toolkit will help to create a plan specific to each person’s individual needs.

“People often say ‘I don’t know what to say’ and this guide is designed to start and continue these conversations, to get to know their staff and to understand what they need to do as managers to support their trans staff.”

ACC Julie Cooke, NPCC Lead for LGBT+ , said: “It is so important that people are able to come to work and be themselves.

“As an organisation we need to ensure we have an environment which supports and encourages diversity and gives all our staff confidence.

“This toolkit will answer lots of questions for people, will support managers and trans colleagues alike but more importantly it should start conversations and make everyone more aware of trans issues.

“The toolkit should enable us to be more inclusive and provide much more support. A lot of work has gone into it and this will continue, to enable the toolkit to remain a living document with the most up to date advice.”

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[SD + 683]

Seriously, what could possibly go wrong?

[bensonby + 3,503]

Instead of a toolkit what is wrong with respectively asking people how they would like to be addressed? What’s so hard about common courtesy?

[Ether + 1,391]

Just what we need, money well spent. 🤥

[HazRat 762]

41 minutes ago, bensonby said:

Instead of a toolkit what is wrong with respectively asking people how they would like to be addressed? What’s so hard about common courtesy?

Because we’re at a stage that unless it’s written down in a policy or sop, common sense doesn’t apply and people don’t know what to do.

[Zulu 22 + 4,569]

Have they really learned nothing of the dangers of Neatral Gender facilities.  All they have to do is look at recent Prison issues. Treat people as people as nture set up two sees male and female. This is where diversity is brought into disrepute.  It is things like this that make us a laughing stock.

[SimonT + 1,185]

I am quite happy to have some guidance. 

The other day we arrived at the topic of trans searching, officer or subject, strip or 32 etc. Rather than working it out on the fly, writing something down is helpful. Not least is someone's searched or searching makes a complaint, a bit of top cover to back up your actions is rarely unhelpful. 

The debate about trans issues is complex and ever changing, but it's here now, so we need to get on with it. 

[Remmy + 1,401]

28 minutes ago, SimonT said:

I am quite happy to have some guidance. 

The other day we arrived at the topic of trans searching, officer or subject, strip or 32 etc. Rather than working it out on the fly, writing something down is helpful. Not least is someone's searched or searching makes a complaint, a bit of top cover to back up your actions is rarely unhelpful. 

The debate about trans issues is complex and ever changing, but it's here now, so we need to get on with it. 

Fully agree, I hate the bull that SMT and the CoP seem to thrive on. However this issue has so much potential to get officers and supervisors in trouble a little guidance is welcome.

It's a complex issue for all those involved and one that we cannot ignore.

My own personal thoughts on the subject is that before rolling our eyes and shaking our heads. Perhaps we should just take a moment to think how stressful this situation is for those directly involved. I have no experience with those making such a choice, but I would imagine it's a very stressful and requires a lot of courage, if we can avoid adding to thier troubles surely that must be a good thing?