Brian Paddick, a former police chief who became the country’s most senior gay police officer, has shared the discrimination he faced during his time on the force.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on 1 October, the ex-officer says more diversity is needed to combat issues like this in policing.
He explains: “We need more women leaders, but more importantly we need police leaders who recognise the problems with prejudice in the police service, whether it’s sexism or racism or other forms of prejudice, who are prepared to acknowledge that these problems exist and who are prepared to do something about them.
At the moment all we get is denial.” Paddick also commented on “widespread sexism in the force” before claiming that diversity is