Police Scotland review of sex and gender: letter to Chief Constable

We have written today to Jo Farrell, Chief Constable of Police Scotland, following her statement to the Scottish Police Authority’s board meeting on 26 September. Our letter is available here.

We welcome the commitment to a review. We are, however, seeking clarification on a number of points, including the scope of the review and plans for consultation.  We believe that a thorough examination of policies on sex and gender, which is concerned with the integrity of data, impacts on victims, the rights of all those who come into contact with the police, and the rights of female staff to privacy, dignity and safety, will require Police Scotland to look at every policy context where sex has been replaced by gender self-identification, and hope that this is what is now planned.  We have also asked for a meeting with the senior officer conducting the review, Assistant Chief Constable Paton.