Transgender Policy
Freedom of Information (FOI) Act request ref: 01/FOI/25/007880/J
Version Date: 16/06/2025
The Performance & Analysis Department, the Corporate Equality, Diversity & Human Rights Department and the Corporate Communications Department have provided the following information.
Please can you advise me what your policy is on the gender and pronouns you use when a suspect/criminal is transgender? My enquiry relates to the recording of crimes and public communications/press releases, not internal HR procedures for police officers.
No information is held regarding a Force policy for press releases.
The Custody Working Practices policy (DCP-OPr-111) states the following:
‘3.15 Transgender detainees [FOIA –Open]
The below practice is to be followed with regards transgender detainees and is in compliance with current transsexual and human rights legislation together with PACE Code C. 4.1 and annex A & L.
Anyone arrested who presents at custody as a transgender person must be asked what gender they are. If gender identity is expressed by the person they must be asked to confirm this by signing the custody record. They must not be asked if they have a gender recognition certificate.
At all times the detainee will be referred to in their stated gender preference and the custody record should reflect this.’
The Digital, Audio, and Visual Recorded Interviews of Suspects policy (DCP-P-055) states the following:
‘3.7 Interviews with transgender individuals must be asked what gender they are and referred to as such throughout. They must not be asked for a gender recognition certificate.’
Please can you give me direct answers to the following questions.
1. Would the force describe someone as having a gender and/or pronouns that are different to their birth sex if they DO NOT have a gender recognition certificate (GRC)? E.g. if a person born male identifies as a woman but does not have a GRC, would you call them a woman and use she/her pronouns?
The Force would not know whether an individual has a Gender Recognition Certificate, and the Force is not legally allowed to ask; a) if the individual does or does not have a Gender Recognition Certificate or (b) to see a Gender Recognition Certificate.
The Force would be guided as to how an individual would describe their gender and the pronouns they would wish to use.
- Would the force describe someone as having a gender and/or pronouns that are different to their birth sex if they DO have a gender recognition certificate (GRC)? E.g. if a person born male identifies as a woman and has a GRC, would you call them a woman and use she/her pronouns?
If an individual chooses to share their Gender Recognition Certificate with the Force, then whatever the certificate indicates would be recorded. The Force would be guided by the individual as to the pronouns they would wish to use. - In cases of rape, which requires male genitalia to commit, would the force use she/her pronouns and record the suspect/culprit's gender as female, if they identity as a woman but DO NOT have a GRC?
Please see answer to question 1. - In cases of rape, which requires male genitalia to commit, would the force use she/her pronouns and record the suspect/culprit's gender as female, if they identity as a woman and DO have a GRC?
Please see answer to question 2.