Objectives
All of the work she has undertaken around diversity has been clearly linked to the organisation’s broader business objectives. Its diversity action plan is linked to the overall business plan, whilst the police competency framework places great emphasis on managers taking action to promote the diversity agenda.
The organisation commends Wendy for the enthusiastic way in which she has championed the diversity agenda and so provided an excellent role model for her Divisional Commander colleagues. She has actively ensured that women's voices and needs are heard and understood as well as those of other under-represented groups. She sits on both the Agency Diversity Programme Board and on the Minority Representation Working Group which develop proposals to increase female and ethnic minority representation.
A particular focus for the organisation has been to ensure that it takes into account the specific needs of women in its planning and policy making. Wendy’s work to make the Women's Staff Association the organisation’s prime consultative route for gender issues has contributed significantly to this aim.
Wendy has established clear goals and a business plan for the Women’s Staff Association. It centres on increasing membership, enhancing the visibility of women, providing role models and mentors and contributing to women’s recruitment, progression and retention. Her support for women's recruitment and development contributes directly to one of the key objectives on which its Management Board measure diversity performance.
Action
- Wendy contributed to work carried out some years ago to consider the issues facing women within the organisation and led the move to drop the potentially discriminatory "Woman" rank prefix previously used to denote female police officers.
- She has played a key role in organising seminars for female staff and, having taken soundings at those seminars, took the lead in work to form a women's support group.
- She personally led the efforts to form the group and, in 2004, the Women's Staff Association was formally launched, with Wendy elected as President, a position she still holds.
- Wendy has offered herself as a role model and mentor to women across the Agency and, as its most senior "out" gay police officer, to its gay women and men and has consistently encouraged female staff to "go for it", whether the "it" was promotion, personal/and or professional self-development or a move into one of the specialist departments/roles, which are currently very much unrepresented by our women and ethnic minority staff.
- Wendy gives very visible leadership on diversity to the 600 or so police officers and civilians who work to her.
- Since 2006 she has organised annual Minority Group Forums for staff in her Division, enabling people from under-represented groups to influence Divisional policies, plans and practices.
- She has also funded attendance at external women’s conferences and development events for several of her staff and regularly releases officers from her Division to attend recruitment fairs in support key business goals to recruit more female and ethnic minority officers.
- The Agency recognise that one of the most important things she has done is to make it clear to all her senior and middle level managers that she expects diversity to be at the forefront of their thinking in everything they do, whether it be planning an operation, making decisions about staff, organising events or dealing with customers.
Impact
The organisation believes that Wendy’s work and leadership has had an immense impact on its culture. It cites her dedication, perseverance, organisational and motivational skills as significant in ensuring the success of the Women's Staff Association. Under her leadership this Association has raised the profile of gender issues in Agency planning and decision making. For example the Clothing and Equipment Committee now considers factors such as the different shape and sizes of women's feet when looking at boot provision and women's physiology when buying body armour.
When she was an Inspector level Senior Police Officer she actively encouraged female officers to join her complement, particularly at Sergeant level, achieving a female representation above the average for the Force.
Later, as a Chief Inspector she mentored several probationer Constables, particularly female and gay officers, contributing to a reduction in the number of officers resigning whilst on probation. She also carried out research work around sourcing and funding female patrol boots, piloting the very first pair herself as a 24/7 operational Chief Inspector at the Atomic Weapons Establishment in Berkshire. The Agency now issue female patrol boots to all female Police officers.
As a Superintendent she commenced work on examining the capacity and capabilities of the traffic motorcycle used by traffic officers at the Naval Base at Portsmouth. Wendy’s work influenced the move from the larger 1100cc Honda Pan Europeans to the smaller 650cc BMWs. The change in weight, size and saddle level allowed female and smaller male officers to put themselves forward for motor cycle duties. The Naval Base has two motorcycle traffic officers one of those is female.
Wendy has throughout her career sought to be a positive role model, supporting female officers progress laterally or vertically through the Agency.
Out of the current five female Chief Inspectors in the force, the last four to be promoted to Chief Inspector level were all mentored, coached and guided by her.
She regularly meets with the Chief Executive, again ensuring that the most senior management have regular sight of gender issues.
She has ensured the Agency gives greater consideration to issues such as support for officers on maternity leave and toilet and changing facilities at stations.
Her support and advice has also played a significant part in the formation of its ethnic minority and LGB staff support groups.
The stations she has had responsibility for are now regarded as good places for women - and other under-represented groups - to work and her Division is widely recognised as a good place for women to work.
