Equality, diversity and inclusion

Avon and Somerset Police have fully committed to implementing the actions in the National Police Race Action Plan.

Published in May 2022 by the National Police Chief’s Council and the College of Policing, the plan aims to improve policing for Black people.

All Chief Constables in the country have signed up to the plan, which will move policing towards being anti-racist, taking a zero-tolerance approach to racism, and explaining or reforming the disparities in how we police Black communities.

Find out more about our commitment to becoming an anti-racist organisation through our Race Matters initiative.

We are on a journey to become the most inclusive police force in the country. Below are the steps we are taking, and will continue to take, to help us realise our ambition:

• We are committed to workplace inclusion and creating a fair and inclusive place of work
• We encourage colleagues to feel confident to bring all parts of themselves to work
• We encourage discussions where employees feel safe to share their faith at work and recognise the benefits of religious diversity
• We understand the need to be sensitive to religious practices

Many of our locations have multi-faith reflection areas and rooms for staff who want to pray, meditate or quietly reflect in the workplace.

Religious diversity enables our workplace to attract and retain a workforce that reflects the society we operate in. It brings a rich experience to understand and support significant religious festivals to colleagues of different faiths, along with diversity of thought.

In April 2020, Avon and Somerset Police became the first police force in the UK to achieve the accreditation for the National Equality Standard (NES).

Backed by the Home Office, Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), and Confederation of British Industry (CBI), the NES sets clear benchmarks for equality, diversity, and inclusion, which organisations are independently assessed against.

The assessment process involved the assessment of seven key areas within the organisation:

• Core components
• Talent
• Business
• People
• Leadership
• Relationships
• Review and measurement

We were successfully able to renew our latest assessment to secure full accreditation for the next three years, and will continue to implement NES recommendations to drive ongoing annual improvements.

Independent Advisory Groups

Independent Advisory Groups (IAGs) encourage the active involvement of people from diverse groups to provide independent personal views that help build trust and improve policing in Avon and Somerset.

They are panels of ordinary citizens, representative of their area and the different communities who make up that population, who act as critical partners, advising us on a range of issues and scrutinising particular significant or high-profile incidents. Each IAG has an independent chair.

IAGs help us tackle issues that may cause concern to local people, communities and businesses. They do this by offering guidance, insights, and where needed, acting as critical friends to the Constabulary.

In January 2021 Avon and Somerset Police became signatories to the Bristol Women in Business Charter.

The Charter acknowledges and supports Bristol businesses to create gender-equal workplaces. We are dedicated to promoting gender equality for all women in the workforce, and recognise the need for ongoing support to achieve this goal.

Our efforts focus on key objectives, such as:

• promoting and expanding flexible and part-time working opportunities, particularly in senior roles
• encouraging and supporting women in lower-paid positions to advance within the organisation through training and continuous development
• providing mentorship and fostering women’s networks to support women where they are underrepresented

We report on each of these objectives each year.

We recognise the importance of collaborating with diverse and vibrant LGBT+ communities across Avon and Somerset to enhance policing efforts.

It is crucial for us to listen to your experiences and understand the specific issues that affect LGBT+ individuals.

Your insights are invaluable in guiding us towards more inclusive and trauma-informed responsive policing practices, ensuring everyone feels safe and respected.

If you would like more information about providing feedback or becoming involved, register your interest in LGBT+ community and police engagement.