Equality and Diversity Within the Police Force

There is no universal definition for the terms equality and diversity, yet both terms are widely used without their meanings being full considered.   Diversity is about recognising that everyone is different in a variety of visible and non-visible ways. It is about creating a culture and practises that recognise, respect and value difference. Equality is concerned with the breaking down of the barriers that currently block opportunities for certain groups in society. It is about creating a fairer society in which everyone can participate and fulfil their potential. Equality policies aim to identify and minimise the barriers that exclude people. Eliminating discrimination is important in achieving equality, since it’s not simply the environment or poor policies that prevent equality from being achieved. Personal views, attitudes and stereotypes about different groups of people have created a culture of inequality.   Discrimination is defined as one person or a group of people being treated less favourably than another on the grounds of racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, age, sexual orientation and disability etc. In other the words discrimination means treating people differently, negatively or adversely without a good reason. Over time, discrimination has become much more subtle, for example unequal treatment which has resulted from the operation of rules or policies that are not in themselves apparently discriminatory in intention. Linked to discrimination is oppression, which refers to the subordination of a given group or social category by unjust use of force, authority or societal norms in order to achieve indoctrination. Discrimination such as racism and sexism, although are not necessarily oppressive in themselves, can lead to oppression if they are codified by law or become parts of a culture. Furthermore, from a sociological perspective these prejudices are often studied as being institutionalised systems; the tools of oppression include;...