Diversity and inclusion
Our Diversity Team co-ordinate and monitor the effectiveness of diversity across Kent Police and particularly in the training provided to officers and staff. They work with partner agencies and stakeholders to promote equality outside of the force.
Our Community Liaison Team is responsible for all external diversity engagement activities and co-ordinate the work of our Community Liaison Officers and independent advisory groups.
Our current equality objectives are to:
- increase the number of black and ethnic minority officers to match that of the population in Kent
- retain and develop ethnic minority colleagues into specialist and supervisory roles
- increase the number of women in specialist and supervisory roles
- increase the numbers of officers and staff self-declaring sexual orientation, disability and religion
The Single Equality Scheme is a public commitment to show how we'll meet our legal requirements by demonstrating how we promote equality in relation to protected characteristics. Meeting these requirements is the minimum standard we aspire to.
We do not tolerate anti-semitism in any shape or form. All UK police forces have adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of anti-semitism.
“Anti-semitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of anti-semitism are directed towards Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”
Whilst the definition is not legally binding, this definition is a useful tool which helps everyone identify anti-semitism.
We are committed to making sure equality and diversity underpins Kent Police. We help our officers and staff by providing support and networking opportunities. There are currently nine staff support groups:
- Armed Forces Network (AFN)
- Christian Police Association
- Enable (support for those who have a disability)
- Gypsy Roma Traveller Police Association (GRTPA)
- LGBT+ Network
- Kent Network of Women (KNOW)
- Kent Police Agile Community (KPAC)
- Men's Forum
- Race Equality Network (REN)
Kent Police honours the Armed Forces Covenant and supports the armed forces community. We recognise the value serving personnel, regular and reservist, along with veterans and military families contribute to Kent Police and our country.
It is estimated over 20% of police time is spent responding to people with mental health difficulties. We realise the importance of making sure our officers and staff are trained on different mental health issues and that vulnerable people we come into contact with are well supported.
Understanding mental health problems is an important part of the training we deliver to our officers. Experienced nurses regularly give advice on a range of mental health issues when they attend our new recruit programmes and police officer refresher training.
The appointment of a champion for mental health within the force is helping us deliver workshops about managing mental health and challenging the stigma.
A series of training videos available to officers and staff has also helped with awareness of conditions such as bipolar disorder, depression, confusion and schizophrenia.
We're proud to become a Dementia Friendly force. We have committed to:
- meeting the foundation criteria for a dementia-friendly community
- completing an annual self-assessment of progress towards the criteria
- complying with the terms and conditions for use of the ‘working to become dementia friendly’ symbol
