Questions for the Candidates at the Police and Crime Commissioner Elections in Dorset - 2nd May 2024


There are four candidates standing in the Police and Crime Commissoner elections in Dorset on 2nd May 2024.

The candidates are as follows:

David Sidwick - Conservative, Marianne Storey - Independant, David Stokes - Labour and Howard Legg - Lib Dem

We asked the following questions on Twitter and via email:-

1)  What is your definition of the word woman?


2)  Do you agree with the College of Policing’s guidelines on searching that allow a trans identified male police officer with or without a gender recognition certificate to strip search a female detainee? If so, why? If not, why not?


3)  Do you agree with the decision of Dorset Police not to implement the College of Policing Policy? If so, why? If not, what do you intend to do about it?


4)  Will you ensure that all crime data is recorded by sex not gender?

 

5)  Will you ensure that sex, not gender, will be in all police policies and practices?


Only one candidate responded, David Sidwick, whose answers are below:-


1)  My definition of the word woman is an adult female human being. This is as defined in both the Oxford and Cambridge dictionaries, and something which I do not believe should be controversial or up for debate.

2)  In regard to guidance on strip searching, my frustration starts with the lack of conclusive legislation in this area – for example there is no legal definition of “sex” in the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) when it comes to searches, and the delay to the Government review of the Gender Recognition Act means there is a lack of clear guidance when it comes to transitioned or transitioning officers and the activity they can and/or should undertake in this area.

3)  With regard to Collage of Policing Guidance, Dorset Police were originally following the old NPCC guidance which was removed following the Woman’s Rights Network report. Once I saw that report I asked Dorset Police to immediately  review their policy. I am pleased that they are now doing so and that the NPCC have withdrawn their original guidance. I remain of the view that such searches should only be undertaken by an officer or designated member of staff of the same biological/birth sex. The conflation of sex and gender in this area is problematic, as one cannot change their biological sex, no matter how much medical intervention there may be.

My conversations on this matter are continuing with the Chief Constable and other senior staff whilst we await new guidance from the NPCC. It would be inappropriate of me to speculate on what this new guidance might be at this stage, as I have not received any indication of what this might look like. I will continue to monitor this situation and what this means for Dorset Police and women in custody.

5.  It should be both – and if it can only be one then sex not gender - I will drive for it to be so and where it isn’t I will work with other PCCs as necessary to make it so. I have started unpicking this.

6.  These are operational decisions for the Chief Constable but I will push for them to be sex not gender focussed.

 

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