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| The History Of Women At Kent Police |
12-Mar-10
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| Kent Police celebrates International Women's Day... |
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Kent Police values and recognises the work of its female officers and staff and celebrates International Women’s Day annually to reflect on the achievements of its female staff, both past and present.
As of February 2010, Kent Police employs 1,036 female police officers and 1,984 female staff. In March 1978, Kent Police employed 230 female police officers.
Kent Police Chief Constable Michael Fuller said: 'A modern responsive police service needs a range of opinions and experience that only a balanced workforce can provide. We aim to ensure our policies and service meet the needs of all who live, work and visit Kent.
'Since 1978, we have increased the number of female officers by more than 350%. Women work across a variety of roles in the force, such as forensics, emergency response, firearms and investigation.'
Women at Kent Police in 2010
Today, Kent Police’s female officers include one Chief Superintendent, five Superintendents, 11 Chief Inspectors, 33 Inspectors, 105 Sergeants, 814 Police Constables and 67 Student Constables. The highest-ranking officer is Detective Chief Superintendent Debbie Doe. The highest-ranking member of police staff is Dr Vicki Harrington.
History of women at Kent Police
In the 1830s, the first police service was introduced into Kent and in 1857, Kent County Constabulary was established. When the Women’s Police Service was founded in London in 1915, female officers were introduced to Kent a year later.
Two Kent policewomen were appointed in Folkestone to deal with an increase in prostitutes as First World War servicemen gathered there, waiting to deploy to Europe. By 1919, a female inquiry officer was handling cases involving women and children.
During the war, Kent County Constabulary had 70 Women’s Auxiliary Police Corps members who didn’t have police powers but carried out clerical, driving and catering duties. When the corps was disbanded in 1946, many women applied to the regular police force or as civilian staff.
In 1944, Miss Denis de Vitre became Kent’s first female inspector and by 1946, Kent had a sergeant and 17 police constables who were female. In 1951 the first female detective was appointed.
Women usually left the force when they started their families. This changed in 1975 when the Sex Discrimination Act meant the Women’s Police Service ceased as a separate body and all police roles were open to women.
Working conditions for women through the decades
Police uniform proved a challenge for female officers but in the 1970s women were finally allowed to wear trousers but only on night duty. If women wanted to travel to work wearing trousers, they had to have permission. Training was also treated differently with female officers trained separately from men, even in the late 1970s.
Women were eventually allowed to work past 2am on shifts and, by the 1990s, receiving equal pay.
To read more visit - http://www.kent.police.uk/News/Latest_News/
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For more information click on or go to http://www.kent.police.uk |
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