Police forces: ‘We won’t employ people who say men can’t become women’

Two police forces have come under fire after telling a serving police officer posing as a job applicant she would not get a job with them because of her “gender critical” views.

When she stated her belief that it is not possible to change biological sex, both the Norfolk Constabulary and another in the South East told her she would be unsuitable, The Daily Telegraph reports.

The barrier to employment was revealed by a police officer with 16 years experience, after she emailed police forces with vacancies posing as a potential job applicant.

‘Outraged’

In her email, the anonymous officer wrote: “I must point out that I am gender critical, which means that whilst I am firmly against abuse and discrimination to trans people, I do not believe you can change your biological sex.”

Of the 14 forces that responded, Norfolk and her own constabulary in the South East indicated she would not be successful because of her views.

Norfolk told her she “would not be suitable”. Her own constabulary said this contradicted “the behaviours expected” and an application “would be not successful”.

She responded, saying: “I’m monumentally outraged that you couldn’t get a job doing what I do, and that my own job is in danger, because of what I believe – which is a belief that I think most people in this country hold.”

Investigation

When told her views would not be tolerated by Norfolk Constabulary, the candidate hit back: “My views on this topic do not mean I would act with intolerance or abuse, just as an atheist would be no less likely to be able to be respectful towards a person of religion.”

She continued: “If there were serving officers with these views (as I know that there are), would their employment be under threat?”

In response, one recruiter asked her to give “details and any evidence” of officers with such views so they could be “investigated”.

Equality Act

The National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for diversity and equality, Chief Constable Ian Hopkins, claimed: “The entire police service is bound by and must adhere to the Equality Act and the police Code of Ethics.”

However, Simon Calvert, The Christian Institute’s Deputy Director for Public Policy, responded: “The Equality Act 2010 does not prevent you from upholding biological sex as fact.

“People should not be barred from employment because their view does not match those of a handful of activists intent on promoting radical gender ideology.

“Officers are there to uphold the law, not to police which views are acceptable and which are not.”