Gender Equality in UK Policing: Sixth Annual Report

Every UK police force has signed up for this initiative, pledging to address gender imbalances – particularly at middle management levels – and combat sexism and misogyny in policing culture. The latest report shows a small but significant increase in women’s representation in middle management, from 27% to 28%. It highlights the shared practices forces are using to progress gender equality.

Thames Valley Police was recognised for two significant contributions: the Ad Hoc Sergeants scheme, and its involvement in the first Guernsey VAWG symposium.

The Ad Hoc Sergeants scheme, developed by Inspector Simon Lincoln, is a force-wide initiative designed to support aspiring sergeants in developing leadership skills. Through this scheme, constables step into acting sergeant roles on individual shifts to cover gaps, focusing on service delivery and investigative responses while supported by substantive sergeants. This provides invaluable hands-on experience without the responsibility of long-term team management.

The Guernsey Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) symposium highlighted TVP’s dedication to gender equality and safety initiatives. TVP HeForShe leads delivered expert presentations, sharing best practice and strengthening connections with international partners. This contribution showcased the force’s ongoing commitment to addressing violence against women and girls on a broader scale.

Other forces showcased impactful initiatives, such as the Metropolitan Police’s Women in Firearms Attachments (WIFA), a two-week immersive programme encouraging women to consider firearms roles, and West Yorkshire’s Jog On campaign, addressing harassment of female runners and promoting bystander training.

South Wales Police Chief Constable Jeremy Vaughan, the UK Policing Lead for HeForShe, said:

“The launch of the HeForShe annual report has become an important event for policing, where we take time to assess our progress towards gender equality, consider our priorities for the next year, and share good practice; highlighting what is working well and want needs to continue.

This year’s data shows slow progress, we should be proud we are making progress, but I will be supporting forces and working with leaders across policing to ensure we accelerate this and move towards real change. I am proud to share the good practice in this year’s report and of the forces working hard to implement innovative practice that moves us closer to gender equality within policing.”

Inspector Jodie Duggan, representing Thames Valley Women’s Network, said:

“I was honoured to attend this event as part of our HeForShe allyship. Seeing the commitment from forces across the UK and beyond was incredible. My biggest takeaway was the emphasis on ‘respectfully disrupting’ the status quo and fostering a culture of fairness and inclusivity. The discussions reinforced the importance of networks and leadership in creating real change.”

Police Constable Liam Busby, TVP’s HeForShe ambassador, shared:

“Whenever I attend one of our HeForShe events, I always return feeling energised and motivated to do more. It was inspiring to see the incredible work other forces are doing and to share ideas about how we can improve. The event truly showcased inclusivity and collaboration, and I’m proud of the recognition Thames Valley Police received for the Ad Hoc Sergeants scheme.”

Discover more about HeForShe and join thousands of officers and staff across policing who are working together to drive meaningful change for everyone. To learn more about TVP’s Staff Support Networks and how you can be supported in your career, visit our Supporting You page on TVP Careers.