Gender ruling from Supreme Court will affect police searches, says Deputy Chief Constable
A Supreme Court ruling on gender will impact the PSNI’s approach to searches, Deputy Chief Constable Bobby Singleton has said.
Mr Singleton told the Policing Board today (5th) that the force has set up a working group to examine the impact of the landmark ruling.
In April, the Supreme Court found that the terms “woman” and “sex” in the 2010 Equality Act “refer to a biological woman and biological sex”.
Northern Ireland is governed by its own equality laws so the relevant provisions of the Equality Act do not apply in the region, but the verdict is expected to influence public policy decisions here and the Equality Commission is preparing guidance on potential implications for the province.
Mr Singleton said: “In terms of the operational impacts, it will certainly impact in terms of how we approach strip-search, stop and search, in addition to many other aspects of PSNI policy in regards to gender determination.
"We aren’t alone in having to grapple with the findings of the Supreme Court.”
Mr Singleton said a National Police Chiefs’ Council co-ordination group had been established, as well as a PSNI working group headed by Assistant Chief Constable Anthony McNally.
He added: “Anthony is assessing the cross-cutting impacts of this for PSNI and will help us develop any required adjustments to our policies and processes.
“That will replicate the national work which is broadly falling under four headings around search guidance, toilets and single-sex facilities, wider implications for policing and engagement and communication.
“Internal considerations around shared spaces, estates and other procedures impacted are being considered by that working group.”
Mr Singleton said: “We know the Equality Commission in Northern Ireland are also involved in helping us seek some further direction in terms of the impacts for policing.”
He was answering questions from DUP board member Keith Buchanan, who said it is “imperative” the police make “any changes required to its procedures to safeguard officers, staff and suspects alike” in the wake of the ruling”.
“This will be particularly relevant to areas like strip-searching and stop and search,” he said. “It is also important that the police service expedite this work.
“I am pleased that a working group has been established, it should not be the case that the PSNI wait on advice from the Equality Commission before acting.”