There’s no place for ‘classism’ on the streets

Police officers must eliminate ‘classism’ towards different members of the public and not only look to attend “sexy jobs”, senior policewomen have warned.

Julie Spence, chief constable of Cambridgeshire Police, told the Senior Women in Policing Conference that too many officers treated people differently based on stereotypes of their class or where they live, leaving a bad impression with the public.

West Yorkshire Deputy Chief Constable Julia Hodson added that police officers and staff see some members of the public as more deserving of their time than others and are looking to attend sexy jobs.

She said: “We have a service where a damsel in distress who has been raped and assaulted or an old dear will get a premium service.”

Ms Spence explained to reporters after her speech that officers should not let stereotypes affect how they deal with the public. “If a teenager starts ‘f-ing and blinding’ at an officer, he will sometimes use the same language back. However, the officer will treat a little old lady in a middle class area in a nicer way.”

The Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file officers, urged police to use common sense. But a spokeswoman warned: “If officers are given strict guidelines or a tight script they must adhere to, it is likely to cause more problems.”