Female officer says PSNI a career option for women

A leading female police officer has said more women should consider a career in the PSNI, despite admitting she faces the 'stereotype that police are men'.
The officer said she has faced the stereotype that police officers were menThe officer said she has faced the stereotype that police officers were men
The officer said she has faced the stereotype that police officers were men

The inspector, who was speaking to BBC Radio Foyle as part of a series on the challenges of a career in policing in the north west, said she had been mistakenly called a police man “many, many times” by members of the public.

The woman, who was not identified for security reasons, said being a woman should not be a barrier to a career in the PSNI.

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“You are challenging the stereotype that police are men and first and foremost I see myself as a police officer,” she said.

“You can be underestimated, people look at you and say ‘you are a woman, sure what can you do?’.

“You kind of think, ‘don’t mistake my kindness for weakness, I am considerate, generous, that does not mean I am weak.’”

She continued: “I don’t think being a woman has been a disadvantage. I see it as an advantage.”

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In the most recent PSNI recruitment campaign, more than 37% of applicants were female, the BBC reported.

In 2001, women accounted for 12.9% of officers – a figure which has more than doubled to 29.4%.

The inspector continued: “Some women still feel nowadays that they have to choose between family and career, feel like they are not entitled to have a career.

“Shifts can be challenging, when you are balancing that with having children, and childcare, but I don’t see why you can’t have your family and your career in this day and age.”

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Deputy Chief Constable Stephen Martin told the BBC: “We are currently undertaking a number of initiatives to encourage female officers and staff to apply for specialist roles across the organisation.

“It is vitally important that the Police Service of Northern Ireland as an organisation is representative of the community we serve.”