Women in intelligence leadership roles (FOI ref: 1389A/24)
Request
1. Please provide the current number and percentage of women in intelligence leadership roles within your police service intelligence operation units. For example, analysts, intelligence managers, senior intelligence managers and other supervisory roles.
2. What efforts are being made to ensure gender diversity in these positions within the services intelligence unit?
3. What specific programs/initiatives or policies does your police service have in place to promote gender diversity and support women in advancing to leadership roles, specifically within the intelligence units?
4. Those in intelligence roles such as covert/overt surveillance operations, undercover operations officer, field intelligence officers etc- what is the current number and percentage of women in these roles?
5. Over the past 5 years how has the number and percentage of women in intelligence leadership roles within your police service changed?
Response
1. Please provide the current number and percentage of women in intelligence leadership roles within your police service intelligence operation units. For example, analysts, intelligence managers, senior intelligence managers and other supervisory roles.
|
Female |
Male |
Total |
|
27 |
51 |
78 |
|
34.62% |
65.38% |
100% |
2&3. What efforts are being made to ensure gender diversity in these positions within the services intelligence unit? What specific programs/initiatives or policies does your police service have in place to promote gender diversity and support women in advancing to leadership roles, specifically within the intelligence units?
We can provide the following information regarding programmes (see table), however, none are specific to the Intelligence department. All leadership and talent programme opportunities are sent to Women in Policing, who share it with their members, and we are currently looking at how we can develop this further.
|
Programme |
Detail |
Eligibility |
Specifically for Females |
|
Aspire |
To provide the knowledge, tools, confidence, and skills for senior leaders who identify as being from a group currently underrepresented in the service. |
Police Officers and police staff, Chief Inspector and above or police staff equivalent from Under Represented Groups (URGs) only. Inspector or police staff equivalents from ethnic minority backgrounds are also eligible. |
No |
|
Women in Policing Mentoring Programme |
Provides a passionate and dedicated response for females to develop, grow laterally and support those who want to be successful in the WMP Promotion processes and become future senior leaders. |
PC - Inspector, and Police Staff Equivalent. Women only. |
Yes |
|
Frontline Leadership Programme |
A one-year leadership development programme which prepares police officers with high potential for promotion to leadership roles. |
PCs from Underrepresented groups. |
No |
4. Those in intelligence roles such as covert/overt surveillance operations, undercover operations officer, field intelligence officers etc- what is the current number and percentage of women in these roles?
West Midlands Police can confirm that information is held regarding the number of female officers involved in covert surveillance operations. However, we are withholding the specific figures under Section 31(1)(a)(b) (Law enforcement) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
Additionally, West Midlands Police will neither confirm nor deny that we hold any of the requested information regarding the number of female officers involved in undercover surveillance operations under section 24(2) (National security) and Section 31(3) (Law enforcement) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. No inference should be taken from this refusal that the information you have requested does or does not exist.
In line with Sections 24 and 31 above, I am required to complete Prejudice Tests/Public Interest Tests (PIT) on disclosure. Please find these PITs attached (1389A_24_PIT1.pdf & 1389A_24_PIT2.pdf).
Details of these exemptions and explanatory notes can be found on the College of Policing website at the following link: Freedom of information | College of Policing - Exemptions
5. Over the past 5 years how has the number and percentage of women in intelligence leadership roles within your police service changed?
The number of females grew steadily from 14 in April 2020 to 30 in April 2023, showing an overall upward trend in female representation, though there was a slight decrease to 27 in September 2024. The largest year-over-year increase occurred between April 2020 and April 2023.
Whilst the overall workforce grew in 2024 from 74 to 78, the number of females decreased, leading to a decrease in their representation:
|
Date |
Overall numbers |
Female |
% |
|
1st Sep 2024 |
78 |
27 |
34.62% |
|
1st Apr 2023 |
74 |
30 |
40.54% |
|
1st Apr 2022 |
67 |
25 |
37.31% |
|
1st Apr 2021 |
53 |
20 |
37.74% |
|
1st Apr 2020 |
47 |
14 |
29.79% |
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