Our inclusive culture

Avon and Somerset Police have fully committed to implementing the actions in the National Police Race Action Plan.

Published in May 2022 by the National Police Chief’s Council and the College of Policing, the plan aims to improve policing for Black people.

All Chief Constables in the country have signed up to the plan, which will move policing towards being anti-racist, taking a zero-tolerance approach to racism, and explaining or reforming the disparities in how we police Black communities.

Find out more about our commitment to becoming an anti-racist organisation through our Race Matters initiative.

Miles Chambers, Bristol’s first-ever City Poet, wrote a poem as part of our Race Matters work. ‘I want to be seen’ captures the different views and feelings that exist when discussing race and policing. It also portrays our vision for the future.

Miles said: “These are just a few incidents that spring to mind. After considerable consultation and deliberation with ASP’s communications team, I concluded they want to change.

“They want a better relationship with the Black community; want the Black community to see Avon and Somerset Police as their force, and to feel as included and supported as everyone else. So, I thought to myself, I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt.

“This video, which came off the back of an original poem written for the Race Matters Conference Avon and Somerset Police held in 2022, is my attempt to discuss some of the concerns of the Black community and the reactions of officers, and to suggest an ideal which I would like to see become a reality. A reality which I believe Avon and Somerset Police would also like to realise.”

Avon and Somerset Police are committed to representing the diverse communities we serve and run a Positive Action Programme of work to support under-represented communities with their recruitment journey.

Our focus is to support Black, Asian, minority and ethnically diverse groups, LGBTQ+, those with a disability and females, to consider and apply for a career in policing through our Outreach Team.

The team encourage and support applicants through both Police Officer and Police Staff roles, running workshops on the application process, pre-assessments and interviews for the recruitment journey as well as signposting our internal workforce to mentoring, coaching and support.

If you are from an under-represented background and interested in finding out more about our Positive Action Programme, a career in Policing, or working with us, contact our Outreach Team.

We are committed to workplace inclusion and creating a fair and inclusive place of work.

• We encourage colleagues to feel confident to bring all parts of themselves to work
• We encourage discussions where employees feel safe to share their faith at work and recognise the benefits of religious diversity
• We understand the need to be sensitive to religious practices

Many of our locations have multi-faith reflection areas and rooms for staff who want to pray, meditate or quietly reflect in the workplace.

Religious diversity enables our workplace to attract and retain a workforce that reflects the society we operate in. It brings a rich experience to understand and support significant religious festivals to colleagues of different faiths, along with diversity of thought.

We have a dedicated team of six Outreach Workers, whose mission is to transform and challenge our recruitment process.

Their focus is on identifying and removing barriers that may prevent individuals from under-represented communities from joining Avon and Somerset Police.

This team:

• plays a crucial role in improving how policing is perceived as a career option among minority groups
• works to increase the diversity of applicants and enhance the talent pool
• encourages individuals to pursue careers with us
• provides mentorship and guidance throughout the recruitment stages, ensuring new employees are better equipped for success and thrive within the service

The team’s key objectives are to:

• shape and promote our employment opportunities to attract a more diverse range of applicants, resulting in richer talent pools
• actively support and recruit underrepresented groups into policing roles through positive action
• raise awareness of career opportunities in policing by identifying and addressing barriers in internal processes
• enhance the perception and accessibility of police careers for diverse communities
• foster stronger community engagement and insights with our diverse populations
• drive lasting, positive, and progressive changes within Avon and Somerset Police

To contact the Outreach Team, email outreachteam@avonandsomerset.police.uk

In April 2020, Avon and Somerset Police became the first police force in the UK to achieve the accreditation for the National Equality Standard (NES).

Backed by the Home Office, Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), and Confederation of British Industry (CBI), the NES sets clear benchmarks for equality, diversity, and inclusion, which organisations are independently assessed against.

The assessment process involved the assessment of seven key areas within the organisation:

• Core components
• Talent
• Business
• People
• Leadership
• Relationships
• Review and measurement

We were successfully able to renew our latest assessment to secure full accreditation for the next three years, and will continue to implement NES recommendations to drive ongoing annual improvements.

Independent Advisory Groups

Independent Advisory Groups (IAGs) encourage the active involvement of people from diverse groups to provide independent personal views that help build trust and improve policing in Avon and Somerset.

They are panels of ordinary citizens, representative of their area and the different communities who make up that population, who act as critical partners, advising us on a range of issues and scrutinising particular significant or high-profile incidents. Each IAG has an independent chair.

IAGs help us tackle issues that may cause concern to local people, communities and businesses. They do this by offering guidance, insights, and where needed, acting as critical friends to the Constabulary.

In January 2021 Avon and Somerset Police became signatories to the Bristol Women in Business Charter.

The Charter acknowledges and supports Bristol businesses to create gender-equal workplaces. We are dedicated to promoting gender equality for all women in the workforce, and recognise the need for ongoing support to achieve this goal.

Our efforts focus on key objectives, such as:

• promoting and expanding flexible and part-time working opportunities, particularly in senior roles
• encouraging and supporting women in lower-paid positions to advance within the organisation through training and continuous development
• providing mentorship and fostering women’s networks to support women where they are underrepresented

We report on each of these objectives each year.

Within Avon and Somerset Police, we have a community of active and supportive groups, networks and associations available for staff and officers to join.

These groups enable officers and staff to seek support, guidance, mentoring and much more from colleagues who have a lived or shared experience to their own.

Our groups include:

• Association of Muslim Police
• Christian Police Association (CPA)
• Disabled Police Association (DPA)
• Family Network
• Gender Network
• LGBT+ Network
• National Police Autism Association
• Police Pagan Association
• Police Federation
• Race, Equality and Cultural Heritage (REACH)
• Unison

We recognise the importance of collaborating with diverse and vibrant LGBT+ communities across Avon and Somerset to enhance policing efforts.

It is crucial for us to listen to your experiences and understand the specific issues that affect LGBT+ individuals.

Your insights are invaluable in guiding us towards more inclusive and trauma-informed responsive policing practices, ensuring everyone feels safe and respected.

If you would like more information about providing feedback or becoming involved, register your interest in LGBT+ community and police engagement.