This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/sep/18/gender-murder-female-police-officers
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| 'Gender not relevant' in murder of female police officers | 'Gender not relevant' in murder of female police officers |
| (7 months later) | |
| The roll call on the national police memorial of the 1,600 officers who have died in the line of duty includes a number of women. Many of their names resonate in the national consciousness: Yvonne Fletcher, killed outside the Libyan embassy in London 28 years ago; Sharon Beshenivsky, shot dead trying to stop armed robbers in Bradford in 2005; and Nina Mackay, stabbed to death during a raid in east London in 1997. | The roll call on the national police memorial of the 1,600 officers who have died in the line of duty includes a number of women. Many of their names resonate in the national consciousness: Yvonne Fletcher, killed outside the Libyan embassy in London 28 years ago; Sharon Beshenivsky, shot dead trying to stop armed robbers in Bradford in 2005; and Nina Mackay, stabbed to death during a raid in east London in 1997. |
| While issues of inequality continue to be raised by women within the police service relating to the need for more flexible working hours and a glass ceiling, the deaths of Fiona Bone, 32, and Nicola Hughes, 23 demonstrate the equality of risk shared by men and women every day when they go out on duty. | While issues of inequality continue to be raised by women within the police service relating to the need for more flexible working hours and a glass ceiling, the deaths of Fiona Bone, 32, and Nicola Hughes, 23 demonstrate the equality of risk shared by men and women every day when they go out on duty. |
| "A lot has been made of the fact in parts of the media that these were two relatively young women police officers," said Derek Barnett, president of the Police Superintendents Association. "My view is that they were first and foremost police officers and their gender is no more relevant than if they were two male officers. | "A lot has been made of the fact in parts of the media that these were two relatively young women police officers," said Derek Barnett, president of the Police Superintendents Association. "My view is that they were first and foremost police officers and their gender is no more relevant than if they were two male officers. |
| "They all share the same level of risk. They were murdered not because they were women but because they were police officers." | "They all share the same level of risk. They were murdered not because they were women but because they were police officers." |
| As details of the shootings continued to emerge, the British Association of Women in Policing joined their voice to the messages of sympathy resonating across the policing world. "We are deeply shocked at this tragic loss of two lives," said Parwinder Dale, the national co-ordinator of the association. "This has been a stark reminder of the risks police officers and staff take every day to keep the public safe." | As details of the shootings continued to emerge, the British Association of Women in Policing joined their voice to the messages of sympathy resonating across the policing world. "We are deeply shocked at this tragic loss of two lives," said Parwinder Dale, the national co-ordinator of the association. "This has been a stark reminder of the risks police officers and staff take every day to keep the public safe." |
| Colleagues within the service said the difficulties and dangers officers faced were the same for men and women. And at a time of low morale, both men and women shared each other's frustration. | Colleagues within the service said the difficulties and dangers officers faced were the same for men and women. And at a time of low morale, both men and women shared each other's frustration. |
| "We are all part of the policing family, we share the same duty and the same frustrations. To us they are colleagues and friends we have lost, and our hearts go out to their families," said one officer, who did not want to be named. | "We are all part of the policing family, we share the same duty and the same frustrations. To us they are colleagues and friends we have lost, and our hearts go out to their families," said one officer, who did not want to be named. |
| Jennifer Brown, a professor of criminology at the London School of Economics, who carried out a survey recently of all 30,000 female officers found that more than four out of 10 were so disillusioned that they had considered quitting. | Jennifer Brown, a professor of criminology at the London School of Economics, who carried out a survey recently of all 30,000 female officers found that more than four out of 10 were so disillusioned that they had considered quitting. |
| Julie Nesbitt, chair of the constables section of the Police Federation, said the shock was all the greater because it could have happened to any officer of any age or gender. | Julie Nesbitt, chair of the constables section of the Police Federation, said the shock was all the greater because it could have happened to any officer of any age or gender. |
| "This is a dreadful tragedy and it just shows how dangerous police work is," she said. "These were two officers turning up at what should have been a routine call, something every police officer does every day, and tragedy has struck. I really cannot put into words the grief and the sadness and the loss that we feel as colleagues, and that must be magnified even further for their friends within Greater Manchester police and for their families. These are two young women who won't be going home tonight." | "This is a dreadful tragedy and it just shows how dangerous police work is," she said. "These were two officers turning up at what should have been a routine call, something every police officer does every day, and tragedy has struck. I really cannot put into words the grief and the sadness and the loss that we feel as colleagues, and that must be magnified even further for their friends within Greater Manchester police and for their families. These are two young women who won't be going home tonight." |
| Greater Manchester police opened a book of condolence on Tuesday night for the "two brave and courageous officers" killed in what their commissioner, Peter Fahy, described as a "cold-blooded murder". | Greater Manchester police opened a book of condolence on Tuesday night for the "two brave and courageous officers" killed in what their commissioner, Peter Fahy, described as a "cold-blooded murder". |
| Fahy's words focused on them as officers and colleagues, and on their personalities: Bone, "calm and gentle" and Hughes, "a chatterbox" who was "always smiling". | Fahy's words focused on them as officers and colleagues, and on their personalities: Bone, "calm and gentle" and Hughes, "a chatterbox" who was "always smiling". |
| "Clearly we are devastated today by the loss of two of our officers," he said. | "Clearly we are devastated today by the loss of two of our officers," he said. |
| "This is one of the darkest days in the history of the Greater Manchester police if not for the police service overall, because we have lost two deeply loved and valued colleagues, because they are part of our team, policing is very much a family." | "This is one of the darkest days in the history of the Greater Manchester police if not for the police service overall, because we have lost two deeply loved and valued colleagues, because they are part of our team, policing is very much a family." |
| guardian.co.uk today is our daily snapshot of the top news stories, sent to your inbox at 8am |