Working towards a representative workforce

Gwent Police has a strong commitment to valuing difference and encouraging inclusivity - both within our organisation and through the service we provide. One of the ways that we can ensure we deliver a service that meets the needs of the public is to have a workforce that reflects our communities. This means ensuring that we attract, recruit and retain a diverse workforce.

As part of our equality duty set out in the Equality Act 2010, Gwent Police has a responsibility to remove any disadvantages experienced by people with ‘protected characteristics’ (this means gender, race, religion, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy and maternity and marriage and civil partnership). We aim to achieve this through engagement with our diverse communities and through positive action initiatives.

What does this mean?

When it comes to recruitment, this means that we need to understand any barriers to joining the police for people that share protected characteristics and work to remove them. It also means that we need to understand the demographic of our workforce (for example, how many ethnic minority officers that we have) and if numbers are lower than they should be, work to change this. 

What is positive action?

Positive action refers to the initiatives that we undertake to remove barriers and encourage under-represented groups to apply to join Gwent Police. There are several ways that we will do this, including (but not exclusively):

  • Partnering with local communities groups and organisations
  • Directing our advertising at communities that are currently under-represented 
  • Coaching and mentoring
  • Offering contact with an existing police officer to learn from their experiences 
  • Hosting awareness sessions on opportunities and recruitment within Gwent Police
  • Ride along scheme.

Police forces can use positive action in deciding to appoint an applicant or candidate from a group that shares a protected characteristic if they reasonably believe that the group is disadvantaged or under-represented in the workforce, or if their participation in an activity is disproportionately low.

However, police forces must not have a general policy of treating people with the relevant protected characteristic more favourably in connection with recruitment or promotion.

Have an interest in joining us?

Meet the Positive Action team

If you have any questions or would like more details about the positive action initiatives we are progressing within Gwent Police, please contact Brian Amos or Clare Gibson via email:

Email the Positive Action Team

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Who are we looking to attract?

In Gwent, we have an ethnic minority population of around 3.9%, rising to 10% in Newport. However, our ethnic minority police officers only equate to 2.2% of the workforce. This means we have a particular responsibility to encourage and support applications from our diverse communities. Gwent Police are particularly keen to receive applications from people that have a Black, Asian or other ethnic minority background (including non-visible ethnic minorities such as Czech, Slovak, Polish, Gypsy/Traveller people). We are also particularly interested in applications from people who identify as LGBT+.

What additional support is there?

There are a range of associations, networks and groups supporting our workforce and Gwent Police has a range of initiatives and schemes to help colleagues develop.

Our staff networks offer support and friendship to our officers, staff and the local community alike. They work to support and advise colleagues nationally and we are proud of the active part they play in influencing policing across the UK.

The networks and associations include:

  • The Disability Support Network
  • The Women in Policing Network (GWiP)
  • The Gwent Police Ethnic Minority Association (GEMA)
  • The LGBT+ Network
  • The Christian Police Association
  • The Mental Health Support Network
  • Police Sport Gwent
  • Police Superintendents Association
  • Welsh Speakers and Learners Network
  • Unison and
  • The Police Federation.

Only Police Officers can join the Police Federation, if you opt to join the Police Federation, you can choose to join a life insurance scheme with awards payable to your spouse or partner, and to any dependents. In addition to accessing crucial illness and sickness cover, you can take out insurance, at a preferential rate, to cover any legal expenses connected to your job, and also benefit from the best rehabilitation facilities.

The IAG is a group of people who are independent from Gwent Police but work in partnership with us as our 'critical friends’. The group is made up of people from various backgrounds of the local community offering independent advice to the police on local/force policies, strategies, delivery plans and community concerns.

Having an IAG helps to ensure that Gwent Police act fairly, without discrimination and consider how our actions will impact on our communities. 

Not found what you're looking for?

If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please e-mail us.

You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter for updates on the recruitment process and police activity in your area.