Women of Colour in Policing (WoCiP)

Bedfordshire Cambridgeshire Hertfordshire (BCH) Women of Colour in Policing (WoCiP) is an award-winning initiative in BCH that is dedicated to:

• Elevating and championing women from all ethnic backgrounds who work in law enforcement, whether they are serving officers, staff, volunteers or retired.
• Engaging with colleagues at all levels to increase visibility, knowledge and understanding of the lived experiences of women from ethnic minority communities.
• Promoting policing as a rewarding career pathway and encouraging women from diverse backgrounds to apply.

Representational issues that intersect with being a woman of colour, such as disability, health and LQBTQ+ are also explored and addressed through the movement’s work.

BCH WoCiP sits on many different boards within policing to ensure ethnically diverse voices are heard, and by doing so, improve cohesion, trust, and confidence with local communities.

BCH WoCiP is also involved in employability fairs, careers events and 1:2:1 mentoring to help women of colour develop an understanding of the policing journey and varied career paths.

This work is supported by a group of ethnically diverse 14- to 23-year-olds called the Young WoCiP Influencers (YWIs). These influencers act as ambassadors at events and reinforce positive and uplifting messaging around the wide range of careers available within policing.

The YWIs also work with the police to help them build their understanding of, and relationships with, ethnically diverse young people within the community build a better understanding of, and relationships with, young people within the community.

Following the success of BCH WoCiP, the name and initiative were adopted nationally in 2022 and local branches are being established in other police forces.

Meet the women behind BCH WoCiP

Sergeant Sandra Smith, Founder of BCH WoCiP

Sergeant Sandra Smith founded BCH WoCiP and is Bedfordshire Police’s positive action lead. She said: “I woke up one day and felt sheer isolation in policing; that I wasn’t seeing anybody that looked like me within my organisation.

“So, what I eventually did was connect with Sam Alexander who is now the Cultural Intelligence Lead for Bedfordshire Police. We are two strong Black women who do not just talk about making change. We do it.

“Together we have established a tri-force movement that provides a focal point for women of colour in policing and provides them with the support they need to progress their careers.”

Sandra found herself championing diversity early in her career. She grew up in Birmingham - a multi-culturally rich city - but when she was posted in Ireland, she found it to be worlds apart.

She said: “It was one of the most challenging times of my career as I missed home dearly, but I also felt change needed to happen so my work around diversity and representation got me through.”

Her experiences in Ireland intensified her passion of inclusivity. She lived and worked there for 14 years and became the change she wanted to see.

Sandra describes herself as “independent, organised and trustworthy” and when asked what her famous last words would be, she replied: “I’m not the first woman of colour to conquer the world. I don’t claim there haven’t been women before me. There will undoubtedly be women after me. But I have left a legacy that will make our forces a better place for women of colour to thrive in.”

Sam Alexander, BCH WoCiP Assistant Lead

Sam speaks passionately about being a Black woman with a disability and a Fingerprint Identification Officer for over 20 years. She talks candidly about her lived experience of navigating a world that is not always accessible.

Sam has made strides across the three forces to bring this important work to the forefront of people’s minds and has started conversations around intersectionality which she believes is instrumental in becoming an inclusive workforce.

She describes herself as “funny, faith-filled, and respectful” and said that if she could speak to her younger self, she would say: “Being Black is not an obstacle. The colour of your skin does not equate to your potential. Make no apologies for who you are and where you want to be.”

Sam co-created the BCH Inclusion and Race programme which calls on the three forces to be actively anti-racist and to hold Listening Circles with colleagues to demonstrate this authentic action.

She has also coordinated the three forces submission to become nationally accredited Disability Confident Leaders.