Police chief ‘furious’ at Reform MP who feels 'uncomfortable' seeing two female officers together
A female police chief has said she was “furious” when she heard a Reform MP saying she “never feels comfortable” when she sees two female police officers together rather than a male and female officer.
Listen to this article
Merseyside Police Chief Constable Serena Kennedy said she was “angry” at the comments made by Reform MP Sarah Pochin in July.
The Reform MP said last month: “I never feel comfortable, actually, seeing two female police officers together.
“I’d much rather see a great, big, strapping male police officer with a female, but there’s 100 per cent a place for women police officers.
“We need them to go out to certain, perhaps, more sensitive situations, situations where children are involved, situations where battered wives are involved or battered girlfriends,” she told BBC Radio 5 Live.
Ms Kennedy, who retires from her position on Sunday after more than 30 years in policing, was asked for her reaction to the comments made by the MP for Runcorn and Helsby in nearby Cheshire.
Read more: Reform UK council removes St George and Union flags due to safety concerns
“Furious, angry,” she told Channel 4 News.
“I can’t believe that so long after, 50 years since we had the Gender Equality Act, the Sex Discrimination Act, that somebody is making comments about that role.
“As a mum to two daughters and a nana to a granddaughter, I want them to never feel that they can’t do whatever they want to do just because of their gender.
“They absolutely could.”
She said the force has more work to do to reach a 50:50 split in terms of male and female police officers.
“We’re not where we need to be and comments like that do not help.”