Female officers crucial to policing, says chief after ‘diminishing’ comments by Reform MP

Gavin Stephens, the chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, said women were critical to the progress of policing. Photograph: Brian A Jackson/Shutterstock

Police chiefs have criticised Reform UK’s “diminishing” of female police officers, when, during its launch of law and order policies, it said women should patrol only with a “big, strapping” male constable.

On Monday the rightwing party tried to establish itself as the party of law and order but Sarah Pochin, its justice spokesperson, said she did not like seeing two women together on patrol.