Page 19 - Bedfed Conf2016 Flip Book

Focus on women in policing
in an entertaining and informative conference speech dS Nita Jhanji-Garrod gave an insight into her 29-year career with Greater Manchester Police during Wednesday’s conference.
Nita, the Force’s first female Asian officer, showed how much the police service has changed in that time but nevertheless revealed the prejudice she had faced along the way in ‘The future of women in policing’ session.
She admitted that it was a huge disappointment to her mother, who had wanted her to be a doctor, that she even joined the police in the first place but said she had seen progress in terms of equality during her career and that no doubt it would continue to improve.
The service was becoming more reflective of the communities it serves without thinking and that should continue as everyone embraced difference.
“I challenge you to be the change you want to see in the police service,” she told delegates.
earlier in the session, officers heard from an officer young in service, PC Sally Mulvaney of North Wales Police, who said that as a 5ft 2in, petite blonde woman she had experienced unconscious bias from others - suggesting others saw her as not very intelligent and fragile - but she had actually been more adversely affected by her
own pre-conceptions.
“unconscious bias affects how we see
ourselves and that can be far more limiting and far more damaging. Glass ceilings do not exist. unconscious bias is holding women back in the police,” said Sally.
For a long time, she had never even considered policing as a career, and it had never been suggested to her. But she says now: “Joining the police is one of the best things I ever did. I love it.”
Having joined the PSu, she knew some officers did not like to work alongside her but she found other people’s bias easier to confront than her own – you just had to prove them wrong!
While it was still a male dominated career, Sally said she believed it would become more balanced naturally over time and that women had a part to play in that.
She said: “Don’t pre-judge yourself, push yourself because no-one is going to do it for you.”
The third speaker in this session was retired Met officer Charlie McMurdie who gave an account of her career in tackling cyber-crime.
Having joined the police service in 1981, her career included time in the Flying Squad in Finchley and a posting to the specialist crime unit at Scotland yard and she had seen a digital revolution with an explosion in cyber-crime.
DS Nita Jhanji-Garrod.
OURREPsAYs
“This was an illuminating session
further exploring the issues of unconscious bias in so far as it influences issues of gender in policing. It was wholly relevant for a service with only 28 per cent female representation and less still at more senior levels.
“Charlie McMurdie’s input strayed but Sally Mulvaney was an engaging speaker with a positive perspective on the police service. Her comments about the importance of self-belief should resonate with anyone still questioning their ability to succeed in achieving their goals in a policing career.
“The session left me feeling humbled and optimistic; things are improving, albeit too slowly. Society is gradually becoming more equal and there is a strong body of research to indicate that UK policing is ahead of this societal evolution. But, coming from a force that has had two female chief constables and a female ACC in recent years, it is perhaps easier to have faith in this view.”
ian Middleton
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