Annual Equality Report 2022
1. Forward
It is my pleasure to publish the Force’s Annual Equality Report for 2022.
Whilst I have a legal duty to publish this annual report, my commitment to inclusion, diversity and equality is resolute.
Despite the challenges we have faced, and continue to face, our officers, staff and volunteers all share the same vision to create an inclusive culture within Devon & Cornwall Police and increase awareness and understanding of diversity and equality, through the delivery of professional development awareness and training.
Our response to diversity and inclusion is ever evolving and our ambition remains to create sustainable and lasting change for our colleagues now and those yet to join us.
Our equality objectives are woven into our priorities and all of the work we do, focusing specifically on hate crime, violence against women and girls, access and engagement and leadership culture and positive action.
Our Force remains committed to the Police Race Action Plan, which sets out changes across policing to improve outcomes for Black and ethnically diverse people. My expectation of everyone in Devon & Cornwall Police is that we continue to look for those opportunities to engage with all members of our communities so we can build trust and confidence, as well as ensuring we are fair, transparent, open, accountable and legitimate in our policing approach.
Baroness Casey’s Review into ‘the standards of behaviour and internal culture’ highlighted some extremely concerning systemic issues in the Metropolitan Police Service. Whilst police cultures are set locally, it is important we all learn from any report about policing. To not listen, understand and learn would be a mistake, as public trust lies at the very heart of our ability to police by consent.
Work continues across the Force to ensure that our culture is respectful and fair. The efforts we have taken to understand our own culture has been invaluable, enabling us to have mature and transparent conversations and implement change.
As a service we have committed to change to become actively anti-racist, anti-misogynistic, anti-homophobic and anti-discrimination of any kind. This requires a much more active approach and mindset where we challenge our own policies, procedures, operations and culture. I believe we are starting to do this within our Force, and I am confident that with our collective efforts drive change forward, as I hope this report will show.