Wiltshire Police has received backlash over its ‘non-diverse’ selection of new recruits.
Photographs of 39 student officers were posted on the force’s social media on Wednesday (25 January), sparking concerns over the lack of people from ethnic minorities.
One woman said there was a “shocking lack of diversity” – with another pointing out that every newly sworn-in officer appeared to be white.
However, 17 of the 39 officers are female – a real achievement for Wiltshire Police, which has wanted to recruit more female staff for many years.
Responding to the criticism, a spokesperson for Wiltshire Police wrote: “We work hard all year round to encourage people from all walks of life to apply to become a police officer.
“This work includes reaching out to groups which are underrepresented in policing – specifically women and ethnic minorities – as we want our workforce to reflect the communities we are here to serve.
“The numbers are steadily increasing year on year and this work will continue. In our May 2022 campaign, when most of the new officers starting this week applied, 14% of all applicants were from ethnic minority backgrounds and 35% female.
“Once they apply, applicants have to pass a number of stages in the rigorous recruitment process and typically the success rate is about 1 in 8 first time applicants.”
