Leicestershire Police gets behind International Women’s Day today (Tuesday)

Leicestershire Police are getting behind International Women’s Day today.

The special landmark day celebrates women’s achievements and raises awareness about equality for women all over the world.

This year’s theme is #BreakTheBias.

It encourages everyone to “break free of stereotypes and discrimination and celebrate inclusivity and diversity while calling out inequality”.

“This year we are highlighting women and men from the force who are supporting #BreakTheBias through their roles in the workplace,” said police.

Today Det Supt Reme Gibson, chair of Leicestershire Police’s Women’s Inclusive Network (WIN), said: “It’s fantastic to be part of this global event.

“We want our force to reflect the communities that we police.

“Therefore that means seeing more women, both staff and officers in our senior and specialist roles – some of which they might never have considered applying for several years ago.

“I’m glad to say that times have changed considerably and these positive moves towards equality should be celebrated,” said Det Supt Gibson.

“We need to ensure we pave the way for others to follow in our footsteps.”

Reme, who has a five-year-old son, added: “Having a full-on day job, coupled with being a parent, is hard for anyone to juggle.

“However, organisations have hugely altered their attitudes towards working parents and it is imperative that we keep building on those developments in order that nobody feels they can’t have a successful and rewarding career as well.”

Chief Constable Simon Cole said: “I am proud to look back at how the force has changed during my time in policing, particularly when I reflect upon our workforce and the gender balance as it now stands.

“Back when I first started in the ‘80s, around 10 per cent of officers were women and had the majority of staff roles.

“Now I’m pleased to say this is almost a 50/50 balance and we see talented women across all departments working hard as part of Team Leicestershire, whether it’s as specialist detectives, firearms, or operational planning to name a few,” said Mr Cole.

“I believe we are #BreakingTheBias everyday but we must ensure we continue to do so.

“International Women’s Day is a reminder for us to do just that.”