1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023
6. Areas of focus
The focus remains on the recruitment, retention and progression of female officers and staff.
Female leaver rates (officers and staff) are lower than males for the first half of 2023/4 although there has been a slight increase for officers.
The force will continue to review and learn from exit data with a particular focus on those leaving in the first five years of service.
Female progression has increased at some ranks but not others but the indicators for female progression amongst officers is encouraging. More females opted into the latest constable succession planning process (December 2023) with higher proportions achieving 'ready now' and 'high potential' status. Promotion process data shows that Kent performs well compared to the national pass mark and females tend to perform well when compared to males sitting the exam locally. March/October 2023 National Police Promotion Framework (NPPF) exams saw higher pass rates for females.
Focus will continue to increase the proportion of females sitting the exam. This will increase the pool of eligible officers at succession planning and subsequent promotion opportunities.
There is a continued focus on encouraging females and under-represented groups through talent-spotting, enhanced support to join accelerated promotion pathways.
The Positive Action Team have continued briefing events to encourage and support a diversity of applicants for all promotion processes both internally and externally. It is imperative to support candidates and remove any barriers for those aspiring to senior ranks within the service. Kent Police has its highest ever representation of female officers in the force at 34.63% (1,478) but the challenge ahead to be fully representative across all ranks and grades is not underestimated.
The Positive Action Team have delivered several initiatives to support the progression and retention of under-represented groups aimed predominately at the junior ranks, as the greatest pool of diversity sits within these ranks. These initiatives include supporting officers for their promotion exams (for sergeants and inspectors) and promotion boards (from sergeant to superintendent rank) as well as ‘gender progression’ events to listen, understand and then eliminate the real or perceived barriers to promotion.
The Positive Action Team are currently running the Achieve Programme which seeks to support those from underrepresented groups through personal, lateral, and promotional development. There are a proportionate number of women engaged in the programme which seeks to work with individuals to identify and work to overcome barriers to progression through the organisation. The Positive Action Team work closely with the Kent Network of Women (KNOW) to support officers and staff individually. There are women only fitness sessions to assist with the job related fitness test (JRFT) and the KNOW offer further support in such areas as maternity, menopause, and caring responsibilities.
At a national level, the force is engaged in the sergeant, inspector promotion pathway (SIPP) review which is seeking to address barriers to promotion for under-represented groups.