Reference Library

The guides include interactive links to further information. Some case studies also include links to video files which can be identified by an arrow symbol embedded within the image. Clicking on these will take you to the relevant video case study which is hosted on YouTube. We understand that not everyone will be able to access YouTube due to firewalls. However, these have been provided as an additional tool should you be able to access them.

Download the ‘Working with faith communities’ guide

Download the ‘Working with the third sector’ guide

Download the ‘Working with volunteers’ guide

The Health and Safety Executive has launched a document which provides much-needed guidance for the police service on how the Health and Safety at Work Act should be implemented.  The question of whether health and safety considerations inhibit the police in carrying out their duty is one which has been much debated.  HSE and the Police Service are in agreement that a reasonable and practical application of the HSWA 1974 is necessary. This requires the wide operational duties of the Police Service (including protecting the public from crime) to be considered in deciding what precautions need to be taken to meet the services’ health and safety duties - both to protect employees and the public.  In striking this balance, the service and individual officers may need to take risks in pursuit of protecting life, and HSE accepts that this will be reasonable in the circumstances.

This report, as a result of their 2007 inspection of performance management is now available, and can be viewed here

ACPO has issued guidance on the expression of beliefs in the workplace.  Document is available here.

Available via this link.

To view this document please click on the link.

There has been considerable discussion in the police press about the ACPO document on creating a diverse workforce, much of it clearly from individuals who have either not read the document, or who have failed to understand its contents. Nobody is suggesting that any standards should be lowered, just that if you have a pool of equally qualified people to choose from, consideration should be given to selecting those who will best help to produce a workforce more representative of the local population. Please click to download a copy.

The TUC has issued a checklist for health and safety reps to ensure that assessments are being made with due regard to gender. Click here for a copy.

ACPO Equality Sub-Committee has published a document, prepared by Emma Mills of South Wales Police, on the benefits of Support Groups. You can download a copy here

The High Tech Crime Unit has produced a guide for ACPO on this topic, which can be downloaded here, and is essential reading for any investigator who may need to seize computers for forensic examination.

For a copy of the Executive Summary of the report launched by the Women and Work Commission please click here.

A new high level group has been formed to help reduce deaths in custody. The Forum for Preventing Deaths in Custody is made up jointly of healthcare and criminal justice professionals including police, prisons and the Department of Health. The main inspection and investigative agencies are also represented. The Forum has been set up in response to the influential report into deaths in custody from the Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR) made up of members of both Houses of Parliament. More information about the Forum can be found at www.preventingcustodydeaths.org.uk

From 1 October 2006, statutory maternity pay, maternity allowance and statutory adoption pay increased from six months to nine months for babies due on or after 1 April 2007, or adoption placements from that date. Other changes include a doubling of the amount of notice required from one to two months for women wanting to change their return to work dates from maternity leave and the introduction of up to 10 'Keeping in Touch' days to allow mothers to go into work and stay in touch with developments and training there without bringing their leave to an end or losing out on maternity pay. Directgov guidance.

The Home Office has issued guidance to forces on additional criteria that they can apply to recruitment selection procedures once the basic requirements have been met. Click to download a copy.

The National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) became operational from 1 April 2007, supporting the police service to improve the way it works across many areas of its business.

The NPIA has replaced existing policing organisations such as PITO and Centrex and will take on significant areas of their work operations. For more information about the NPIA please visit www.npia.police.uk.

This is an innovative online resource, which is initially funded by the Government’s   ‘Quality Part Time Work Fund’  designed to open up more quality part-time jobs and help employers find ways of making flexible working possible.It also allows candidates to register on line, search for quality vacancies as well as potential job share partners. The site also allows employers to post higher-level flexible positions including full time, part time, job share and interim roles. There is also an on line guide available to employers entitled ‘Essential Guide to Job Sharing’  which provides everything an employer needs to know about implementing flexible working practices. Visit  www.jobshare-uk.com for more information.

The latest document from the IPCC is available to read here.  They are also asking for feedback on the document itself, so if you would like to contribute to this, please download the form.

Here is a short article linking optimism to good health, which you might find illuminating!

You may have seen reports recently that the Danish government is paying compensation to some women who have contracted breast cancer, possibly as a result of sustained night working.  The original research which led to this was published in 2007, so for the full picture, please click here.

The HSE has unveiled a new stress website which focuses on stress managament standards and gives case studies. It can be found at www.hse.gov.uk/stress.

The final report on this ground-breaking research is now available. It was supervised by Professor Amanda Griffiths of Nottingham University. Please click for an extract, or for the full document.

There is 'appreciable' evidence of a link between breast cancer and shiftwork, a report published by the HSE has found.

The BAWP Secretary and Webmaster, Carolyn Williamson, was awarded a MSc from the Open University in 2003. Her dissertation was entitled "Health and safety legislation - the experience of operational police officers", and an Abstract is available here. If you would like more information, please contact her.

Working a night shift can lead to longer pregnancies and lower birth weight babies, researchers have found. The study of more than 40,000 Danish women looked at the experience of groups who worked during the day, evenings, nights, and those who worked rotating shifts. For more information, click here.

The TUC has produced an excellent guide for its own safety reps on this subject, which contains information in an understandable form. To view the page click here.

Working nights while pregnant increases the risk of giving birth prematurely by up to 50 per cent, according to a new study by University of North Carolina. For more details of this report, please click here.

There has been much discussion in view of the Equality Act as to the future of the Reserve Seat in the Police Federation of England and Wales.  There was a fear that it would become illegal, but this is not the case.  You can see the PFEW's official reasoning behind the policy.

A Bedfordshire Inspector, Jaki Whittred,  has undertaken some interesting research into management styles of senior women in policing for a Master's degree.  Her dissertation is available here.  If you need any more information, please contact jaki.whittred@bedfordshire.pnn.police.uk

As you may be aware the Equality Act 2010 passed its final stages on 8th April and has received Royal Assent. It was expected to come into force in October 2010, but this appears to have been delayed. There is a useful article here summarising the changes to existing law brought about by the Act, and a useful government summary here. There will also be a constantly updating page on www.emplaw.co.uk dealing with the new Act.

Maternity Action is an organisation which works to end inequality and promote the health and well-being of all pregnant women, their partners and children.  They began full time operations in 2009, and are currently working on a new project about pregnancy discrimination which aims to raise awareness amongst women and their advisors about women’s rights at work when they are pregnant. They have produced new detailed information sheets, and a poster advertising this information for display.  For full details please visit their website

At the Professional Development Day on Tuesday 20 April BAWP President, CC Julie Spence, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with each of the National Association for Disabled Police Association (NDPA) and the National Trans Police Association (NTPA).  Both organisations are relative newcomers to the support associations within policing, but we have concerns in common and will work together and support each other when appropriate.

The Fawcett Society has launched a new report which may be of interest. Realising rights: increasing ethnic minority women’s access to justice examines the experiences of ethnic minority women throughout the criminal justice system – as offenders, victims and workers in the justice sector. It explores the intersectional discrimination on the grounds of race and sex that these women frequently face and the realities of a justice system which too often overlooks the needs of ethnic minority women in policy development and practice.  Download the report here    

The Equality and Human Rights Commission has announced  that employers that choose to analyse and report publicly their gender pay gaps will receive limited immunity from investigation. As part of the Commission's drive to increase gender equality in the workplace, this unprecedented step aims to encourage businesses to adopt voluntary measures to analyse and make public their gender pay gaps. For more information click here.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission has produced a Briefing on the current stage of the Equality Bill, which can be downloaded here.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission has recently published 2 reports - Working Better :Fathers, Family and Work and Trans Research Review.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission Disability Committee has published its strategic priorities, setting out how it will use its powers and responsibilities to tackle some of the major issues faced by disabled people. The strategy is working towards the Committee’s vision of creating a society where disabled people participate fully and contribute to society as equal citizens. The work plan tackles legislative developments, including how the Equality Bill will affect disabled people and how to put into practice the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities.

Following recent consultation, some amendments have been made to the Bill, covering various issues including double jeopardy, age discrimination in public services. For a brief outline please click here.

Eve-olution has done some research amongst senior women in a range of occupations into their styles of management.  The report is available here, and for more information on their work visit their website.

This new support group for police personnel having problems with their gender identity now has a website.  For more information please visit www.ntpa.org.uk or contact Martha Hand 

Lynne Copp, an independent consultant who has spoken at one of our PDDs, has published a book entitled, rather strangely, "I'm Glad I Spent More Time at Work!"  It is the first in a series of three, and more information is available on this link.  It may also be available through Lynne's own website, www.theworklifecompany.com

SFJ is delighted to announce the launch of an online resource which helps organisations to implement good equality and diversity practice in the workplace.Visit www.skillsforjustice.com/ebrief to view the full article.

An update report for the TUC Women's Conference 2008. This report uses official data and recent research into the gender pay gap to examine the position of women within the labour market and the causes of the continuing pay inequality they experience. Visit the webpage to view the report.

Working Families has republished its best-selling "Daddy's Home" booklet.The guide focuses on how fathers can get a real balance between work and family life throughout their careers. Drawing on interviews with fathers from a wide variety of occupations, and including a unique life planner, "Daddy’s Home" provides an inspiring and practical guide for men who want to change their work and home balance. For more information please visit their web page.

'Working Families' has recently released its latest publication  'Hours to Suit Part II' which contains 19 detailed case studies on senior public and voluntary managers who work reduced hours or flexibly. For more information, including how to order a copy, click here.

Women are still the victims of persistent gender inequality in the workplace, with very little change in their working conditions in Britain for almost two decades, according to a landmark report from Cambridge University. The report, 'Gender and working conditions in the European Union', said there is still segregation in the workplace while women are far less likely to earn high salaries than their male counterparts. It found that despite British female workers making up just under half of the workforce, fewer than one in six have senior management roles.

This is a network of national orgainisations committed to progress on age, disability, gender, race, religion and belief, sexual orentation and human rights issues. Their latest e-Newsletter is available on this link.

At a past NBPA conference, BAWP committee member Chief Inspector Robyn Williams jointly presented a workshop on identifying and dealing with the multiple barriers faced by black women. The full Powerpoint presentation is available here, a report on the feedback from the workshop is available here, and the original reserach on which the workshop was based is available here.

If you have any questions regarding any of the above documents, please contact Robyn Williams direct.

Many local authorities view equality and diversity in terms of ethnic minorities and people with disabilities, overlooking issues such as gender, sexuality and flexible working, according to new research from the government’s Office of Public Management. Equality and diversity in local government, £18, from Publications Centre, PO Box 236, Wetherby, West Yorkshire LS23 7NB, tel: 0870 1226 236.

A report published by the Equal Opportunities Commission reveals that women make up just 7% of the senior judiciary, 7% of senior police officers, 9% of top business leaders and 9% of national newspaper editors. For the whole report click here.

Advice from the TUC on Trans rights in the workplace. A briefing for unions and workplace reps on issues for Transgender workers and on the new Gender Recognition Act (June 2004). The briefing covers definitions, the legal position, the process of changing gender, and gives advice on common workplace issues for trans people.

The Gender Agenda has been gathering pace in Scotland. For a copy of their Action Plan, please click here.

Women are being 'parachuted' into precarious positions within companies where there is a high risk of failure, a report says. Professor Alex Haslam and Dr Michelle Ryan of the University of Exeter found that those women who do break through the 'glass ceiling' are more likely than men to find themselves on a 'glass cliff,' meaning their positions are risky or precarious. The 'glass cliff' research also showed that companies doing badly are more likely to appoint a woman to the board - but once performance picks up, other women are less likely to be made directors. 'It is a very interesting phenomenon, one that merits much more investigation because it's the next wave of subtle discrimination,' said Professor Haslam. 'I think it applies to any groups who are not part of that group that is part of making the decisions.' He said the phenomenon was not confined to any one profession or social group, but could be found across the business spectrum. There was evidence that women in the legal profession, for example, were often given the harder cases.

These folk were also speakers at the IAWP 2005 conference in Leeds, and at the 2007 Senior Women in Policing Conference. ESRC link for more information.

The EOC has issued a Step by Step Guide to Taking A Sex Discrimination Claim to an Employment Tribunal in England and Wales - Introduction. Updated to reflect terminology used in new ET rules. Please follow the link for a copy.

Katie Elliott, Northants Police, has done a dissertation entitled "How are part time working and job sharing accommodated at a management level and what are the barriers and good practice in relation to their effective use?" She compared the experiences of 5 NHS managers and 3 police inspectors.
If you require further information, please contact Katie on 07740 487316

Surrey University carried out research on behalf of BAWP into "The gendered nature of policing among uniformed operational police officers in England and Wales".  The study looked at the expectations of the public and of police officers in respect of the gender of the person dealing with a particular task.  The final report is available here, and our thanks go to David Blok and Professor Jennifer Brown for the work.

Playing with Numbers: a Discussion Paper on Positive Discrimination as a Means for Achieving Gender Equality in the Police Service in England and Wales has been produced by Professor Jennifer Brown and colleague at University of Surrey. For an extract please click here, and if you would like to see the whole document please contact the Secretary.

Hanson Wealth has produced a Police Benefits Portal containing links to discounts and special offers available to members of the police service. Take a look at www.policebenefits.co.uk to see what is on offer.

We are talking about for professional working purposes here, not sporting prowess! In addition to others previously mentioned on this site, Angela Hackett has now launched her website for her company The Way Consulting .  She has already done work with senior women in policing, amongst others.

SafeGuard is the Premier Independent Jewellery, Watch & Silverware valuation service in the UK and is a wholly owned division of The Birmingham Assay Office.  The team of expert, experienced and highly qualified Valuers are proud of the work they do with Police Forces throughout the country.  SafeGuard provides a range of jewellery, watch and silerware valuation services and can value items ranging from the everyday contemporary to the most intricate, individual and complicated antique piece. The SafeGuard team of highly qualified expert valuers will give you an independent valuation as we do NOT buy or sell jewellery products.  We therefore have no vested interest in the product, or its replacement value and promise you an unbiased opinion every time.

If you think that we may be able to help you please contact us.  For all your enquiries Tel: 0871 423 7922 or email safeguard@theassayoffice.co.uk   For more information please visit www.safegaurdvaluations.com

This is a hard-hitting documentary made by Vancouver police officers working with long-term drug addicts, for use in prevention and education work.  For more information please see the flier.

Employers, unions and the government have joined forces to promote new guidance on preventing harassment and violence in the workplace. The guidance, which follows a Europe-wide agreement between employers' organisations and unions, aims to give practical help and support to firms and their employees. To see the document click here.

A one bedroom bungalow in Yorkshire, owned by a retired police officer, is available to rent.  Please see flier for more information

David Carson who is, amongst other things, an MA (Coaching and Mentoring Practice) and a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD has recently completed some research into mentoring for women. The executive summary is available here, and further details are contained therein.

Part of the University of Cambridge, Lucy Cavendish is the college where women over 21 and from every possible background come to study. Students from every corner of the UK mix with women from across the globe. Students who have studied for A-levels and the International Baccalaureate work alongside others with 'Access' qualifications. Students include former bankers, singers, journalists and police officers.It has been going since 1965 and can offer a way in to a university course if other avenues are not open. You can get a summary of their activities here, or visit their website for full details.

HandsOnScotland is an online resource for anybody working with children and young people. The website provides practical information and techniques on how to respond helpfully to children and young people's troubling behaviour, build up their self-esteem and promote their positive mental wellbeing. For more information please visit the website at www.handsonscotland.co.uk

is launching a new campaign "This is not an invitation to rape me" to tackle the women-blaming practices.  for more information please visit their dedicated website.

There are many practical issues to manage when someone dies. Bereavement Advice Centre supports and advises people on what they need to do after a death, free of charge. They will supply leaflets for professionals to give to those affected, as well as providing other support. For more information please visit their website.

Article by Dr Nicole Westmarland, Durham University, in the New Statesman.

The Centre for Corporate Accountability (CCA) has published an 80-page guide to the new Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act which came into force on 6 April 2008. CCA says the guide is intended to help a range of interested groups and individuals - lawyers, advisers, bereaved families, trade unions, managers, employers or others - to understand the nature of the new offence, the type of organisations to which it applies, the circumstances that will lead to prosecution and areas in which the Act remains open to legal interpretation. CCA says its guide also helps explain how the new 'statutory' offence differs from the old 'common law' offence, and sets out the main arguments on each of the key issues in the 12 years since the Law Commission in England and Wales published its proposals for reform in 1996. A summary of the Act's key provisions is available on CCA's website.

The University of Kent has announced the launch of the European project CONNECTIONS - Integrated responses to drugs and infections across European criminal justice systems.  For more information visit their website where you can register to receive updates.

An American writer has recently published 'Taking the Stand', a sociological analysis of rape survivors' involvement in the prosecution of their assailants in the USA and would like it to get into the hands of law enforcement personnel who have contact with such individuals. For more information please follow this link to her website.

The TUC website has a number of sections that may be of interest to any working person. In particular, at present, there are a number of items being highlighted in respect of specific Health and Safety at Work issues for women. These include a recent report entitled "Working through the Change : health and safety and the menopause", and all are accessible through this link.

This is a  website which is designed as a friendly and useful first stop for women who may need legal help. It also features downloadable copies of research and policy papers, and a downloadable poster for the advice line.

This is the title of a report recently issued by the Womens National Commission following research into what women in the community feel about the way they are dealt with by police officers. Please click here to download a pdf copy.

The government, in association with Comic Aid, Women's Aid and Refuges, has launched a freephone DV Helpline 0808 2000 247. It will provide access to 24-hour emergency refuge accommodation, as well an information service, including safety planning and translation facilities to thousands of women who suffer at the hands of an abusive partner.

UK COPS (Care of Police Survivors) is an organisation dedicated to providing survivors with the level of understanding and care that is required to help them rebuild their shattered lives. With the recent tragic loss of DC Swindells in West Midlands still fresh in our minds this is a very appropriate time to bring its existence to wider attention. For more information, or if you know someone who needs their help, please visit the website www.ukcops.org, or phone 0870 744 2586.

This organisation is a Federation of Local Associations providing graduate women in Great Britain with information, support and friendship at local, regional, national and international level. For more information visit their website at www.bfwg.org.uk

The Northern Ireland Veterans Association is principally for Members of HM Forces and 999 services that served in Northern Ireland, but also to other members of HM Forces, 999 services, and civil servants, and any other person sympathetic to the aims of the Association. More information is available on their website, www.nivets.org.uk.

Lothian and Borders Police Sporting and Recreational Association has renovated their City Centre Police Club in Edinburgh, Scotland. Its facilities are available exclusively to members of Police Family and their guests, who are invited to make use of the eight twin/double en-suite bedrooms at competitive prices. Also the modern lounge bar, catering facilities, meeting rooms or function suite. For further details visit their website www.thepoliceclub.com or email at enquiries@thepoliceclub.com

The WNC has moved to new premises :

Zone 4/G9, Eland House, Bressenden Place, London, SW1E 5DU. . General enquiry line 020 7944 0582, wnc@communities.gsi.gov.uk. It has also published an updated list of women's organisations, sorted into regional, alphabetical and interest

Didn't know there was one? Well, they are very good, and you should go to their concerts! For more information about BPSO please visit their site, www.bpso.org.uk.

This body is replacing the Equal Opportunities Commission, the Disability Rights Commission and the Commission for Racial Equality. Although it does not become fully operational until October 2007 it is already preparing the way for the transition. One important issue for BAWP is that it will be responsible for the production of Orders to ensure better performance of public sector duty to promote gender equality, which will come into force in April 2007. More information is available on their website.

In March 2004, Amnesty International UK launched a global campaign to stop violence against women. The Stop Violence Against Women (SVAW) campaign focuses on ending violence against women in the family and in conflict/post conflict situations on both national and international levels.

The SVAW campaigns team has since launched a report about sexual violence against women in Jamaica. As there is a large UK Jamaican population, it is interesting to note that many of the findings from this report are mirrored here among the UK Jamaican community. A copy of the report is available here. More information on the campaign as a whole can be obtianed from the campaign manager, Heather Harvey, on 0207 033 1583.

An American worker in this area, Diane Wetendorf, has a website for survivors of such incidents, with information on publications available for others working in the field, at http://www.abuseofpower.info

This very important piece of legislation comes into force in 2007, but police personnel need to become aware of it in plenty of time. Amongst other provisions to protect vulnerable adults, it will become a criminal offence to financially or otherwise abuse persons who fall into this category. For more information please visit the DCA website.

The following can be downloaded via
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs07/rdsolr1007.pdf

Online Report 10/07 - Trafficking for the purposes of labour exploitation: a literature review.

Yasmin Rehman, Director of Partnerships and Diversity at the Metropolitan Police is able to advise on issues concerned with forced marriages and honour based violence. She can be contacted on 020 7321 7118 x 47118 or yasmin.rehman@met.police.uk

The gender equality duty (GED) is the biggest change in sex equality law in 30 years; and the Police Service of England and Wales welcomes this new duty as a powerful tool that will help deliver real practical developments and change to the lives of both men and women.

The duty came into force on 6 April 2007 and has been introduced in recognition of a new approach to equality, one which places more responsibility on employers to think strategically about gender equality, rather than leaving it with individuals to challenge poor
practice.

For the Police Service the new duty mandates that all chief officers have a statutory duty to publish a Gender Equality Scheme (GES) by the 30 April 2007, setting out their objectives for gender equality and how they will meet the new duty.

The Home Office guidelines (to which BAWP contributed) are available here, and the EOC guidelines for Public Bodies is available through this link.

Stonewall has published a simple guide to the legal implications of the new regulations covering sexual orientation, which is available here.

The Women's Library is a cultural centre housing the most extensive collection of women's history in the UK. Access is free and open to everyone. For more information please visit their website.

A recently retired police officer is offering a new course in Presentation Skills and Public Speaking. Find out how to avoid the 'Death by PowerPoint' situation!  For more information please look at this leaflet.

The site is now available on subscription. For officers studying for promotion etc, having access to PNLD from home 24/7 is really useful. Whilst this is a subscription service, the rate for police officers and staff is £50 per year - which makes a welcome saving on the regular subscription rate if £200 p.a. For more information visit www.pnld.co.uk

Some excellent research is available, completed by Sergeant Terri Haycock of Surrey Police, looking at attitudes and behaviour towards police officers becoming pregnant and how policies are interpreted and put into practice, or not.
Please contact national coordinator Liz Owsley if you would like to see the research.

Some very revealing research is available, completed by Insp Joy Mayhew, Suffolk Police, looking at some of the reasons why female officers do or don't apply to become traffic officers, and some good practice identified for depts who want to increase the numbers of female officers. Please contact national coordinator Liz Owsley for a copy.

The same member is also looking for contributions to a magazine "The Criminal Lawyer". You may write about some police issue close to your heart or some element of crime that worries you, or any crime related issue or story. You don't need to worry about format and law content, as she will check that. Articles should be at least 1000 words , ie 3 pages or so. They can be as long as 3000 words, and they pay £90 for each article that is printed. For more information please contact Sally Ramage direct on legal_consultant@btinternet.com

A service has been created to help reassure potential victims of assaults, and to enable them to get evidence. Please visit www.bakoff.co.uk for more information.