Police commissioner brands gender-fluid warrant card policy ‘a nonsense’
“It just makes us look a bit daft,” Colin Sutton told LBC following reports that the force was allowing gender-fluid officers to hold more than one warrant card
Norfolk’s Police and Crime Commissioner, and former Metropolitan Police Detective Chief Inspector Colin Sutton, has called a policy allowing gender-fluid officers to hold more than one warrant card “a nonsense”.
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Mr Sutton, who was previously a senior investigating officer at the Met, told LBC the policy did not help public confidence in policing following reports that gender-fluid officers were handed two warrant cards to allow them to identify as either a man or a woman at their discretion.
“It just makes us look a bit daft,” he told LBC.
“It’s just a nonsense of a policy… I don’t think it’s the sort of thing that inspires trust and confidence in the public.”
Mr Sutton said he asked Norfolk Constabulary’s command team for an explanation after reports that the force had a policy permitting dual or multiple warrant cards in some circumstances.
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He said the policy is now under review, adding that Norfolk officers will be issued with one warrant card carrying their legal name.
“We will not issue any joint warrant cards,” he said.
Mr Sutton added that, as far as the force could establish, Norfolk had not issued any dual warrant cards under the policy.
The Telegraph initially reported that a joint Norfolk and Suffolk Trans Equality at Work policy allowed “dual or multiple cards” to be issued, if specifically requested, to officers who were transitioning or gender-fluid.
Norfolk and Suffolk share some support services, including HR.
Mr Sutton said the joint Freedom of Information response may relate to officers in Suffolk, although he said he did not know whether any such cards are currently held there.
The policy is being reviewed following recent court judgments, including the Supreme Court ruling on the definition of sex under the Equality Act.
A Norfolk Constabulary spokesperson previously said: “Norfolk and Suffolk Constabularies are reviewing relevant policies following recent court judgments and we are awaiting further direction from the National Police Chiefs’ Council.
“Any arrangements relating to warrant cards or identification documents are subject to appropriate security controls and governance processes.”
Leicestershire Police confirmed it has issued one gender-fluid warrant card, which is currently held by one officer.
A force spokesperson said: “Multiple ID cards are issued in certain limited circumstances and will be considered on a case-by-case basis. This is in line with force Equality guidance.
“Any request will be done with the consideration of security risks and public confidence.”
Mr Sutton also raised security concerns, saying two cards could create “security and access-control issues” if one was lost, stolen or misused.