Sexism goes undercover
WOMEN police officers are the victims of institutional
sexism that still excludes them from many jobs and refuses
to recognise their needs, it was claimed yesterday. 

Too many chief constables thought that announcing a
policy for sexism would be enough to deal with the
problem, Inspector Jan Berry, new vice-chairman of the
Police Federation, said. 

She told a meeting of women delegates to the federation's
annual conference that too few senior women officers
were prepared to put their heads above the parapet and
defend their sisters. 

Mrs Berry said sexism was more subtle than in the past.
Women were under-represented in specialist squads.
They faced fitness tests that did not take into account their
physiques, and had to use inappropriate equipment. While
senior female officers said nothing, junior colleagues
fought to balance job and home as would-be
superwomen. 

She suggested that forces accept targets for recruiting
women to jobs and ranks. They made up 16 per cent of
the police service in England and Wales, but only 6 per
cent of chief constables. Last year more than 25 per cent
of new recruits were women. 

Mrs Berry said that forces were dominated by a masculine
ethos - officers worked long shifts then headed for the
pub. When women asked about maternity leave, senior
officers were not interested. 

Delegates were told that a survey of 500 officers showed
that the police was one of the worst professions for
bullying.

BY STEWART TENDLER
May 16 2000
  
"The Times" - broadsheet newspaper

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