National Inclusion Week is Monday 26th September – Sunday 2nd October

National Inclusion Week 2022, which takes places from Monday 26th September to Sunday 3rd October, is an opportunity to celebrate diversity and promote the importance of equality in the workplace.

In Essex, we also know that if we police with the consent of every community, we will catch more criminals and keep more people safe.

If people trust us, they will talk to us and they will give us vital information which could detect or prevent crimes – it’s as simple as that.

This year’s theme is ‘Time to Act, The Power of Now!’ and Essex Police teams, support networks as well as several outsider charities have come together to curate a number of events across the week for officers and staff.

As ever, valuing the diversity of the Essex Police workforce and the communities we protect and serve must be part of everything we do, in line with our Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Strategy and the We Value Difference campaign which has helped bring so many people from a range of backgrounds into the Essex Police family.

Chief Constable Ben-Julian Harrington says:

“Our society is ever-changing and we must earn and maintain the trust of all the diverse communities we serve. We are helping to build a united Essex, where everyone feels valued.
“In Essex, we catch criminals, protect people and keep people safe and we can only do that if we police with the consent of every community. That’s why National Inclusion Week is important to me and to every officer, volunteer and member of police staff who works with me.”

The events of the week will be a refresher of what Essex Police can offer employees in terms of support such as the Men’s Forum; Women’s Leadership and Development Forum; LGBTQ+, Minority and Ethnic Support Association; Disability and Carers Network and Essex Police Benevolent Fund amongst many others.

Looking to the future, Diversity and Inclusion Manager Vernal Scott says:

“Inclusion at Essex Police is what it says on the tin; everybody is important whatever their age, sex, disability, sexual orientation, race, religion, marital status, or whether in uniform or not.
“Inclusion brings challenges and opportunities that help us learn, grow, and become better as individuals and as a Police force that is also a service. We are fortunate at Essex Police to have a leader who is naturally inclusive of ‘difference’, and it shows. Inclusion Week is an opportunity to remind each other that our similarities and differences are welcome in this workspace, and I hope that colleagues will actively participate.”

At Essex Police we aim to attract, recruit, progress and retain a more diverse and inclusive workforce that better reflects our communities, and we’re looking to enrol new officers every day.

Think you or someone you know could #FitTheBill? Whether it’s patrolling the streets as a Police Officer or Volunteer or delivering specialist frontline support, everyone is welcome. Visit our careers section and join us today – you could be joining our growing force within weeks.