In the following article appearing in the February 2025 edition of Danish police magazine Dansk Politi, former DPA President Tracy Betts talks about the work of the DPA and the value that disabled and neurodivergent staff bring to policing

In the UK police service, they are far ahead in including both employees who have suffered mental or physical health problems in service, as well as employees with neurodivergent brains. This is largely due to a comprehensive equality law and significant efforts from the voluntary association Disabled Police Association (DPA).

“It’s not disability, that’s the problem. It’s the obstacles we put up that block us from getting the best out of everyone”, says Tracy Betts, former president of DPA.

They are not there yet, but they are well on their way. In most places in the UK police service, there is a targeted effort to include employees with physical and mental disabilities – including neurodivergence. A rough estimate is that about 40 percent of employees in the police force in the UK are neurodivergent. However, not everyone is necessarily aware of it or has a formal diagnosis.

This is the estimate from the Disabled Police Association. The Association offers networks and support to police officers and civilian employees in the police force who have suffered mental or physical health problems in service, or who have neurodivergent brains and diagnoses such as ADHD, autism, or dyslexia.

“Neurodivergent people are attracted to the police service. I think it’s because they often have a strong sense of right and wrong. They have a very strong moral compass, and the police force has a code of conduct that neurodivergent people probably find very attractive, whether they are aware of it or not”, says Tracy Betts.

She has been president of DPA for two years but stepped down at the turn of the year. Additionally, she is a Detective Inspector in Essex Police, and as an adult, she was diagnosed with dyslexia and autism.

Talent must be supported
Tracy joined the police service over 30 years ago. Back then, it would have been a problem for her to be accepted if she had been diagnosed. But that’s no longer the case. An Equality Act ensures that no one in the public sector can be excluded in advance.

Of course, you must be able to do the job as a police officer, but those who are rejected, whether they are neurotypical or neurodivergent, should be rejected because they are not talented enough or do not have the qualities the job requires. It should never be their diagnosis alone, that is the obstacle. In other words, we must ensure that we do not lose talent by putting unnecessary barriers in the way of, for example, neurodivergent people.

Tracy herself failed one promotion exam after another, and couldn’t understand why, as she didn’t consider herself a poor reader or unintelligent. Eventually, she got tested for dyslexia and found out she has a form of dyscalculia. She was granted more time for her exams, passed them all, and was promoted.

“Basically, it’s about accommodating the different needs that employees may have to get the best out of them. There must naturally be a reasonable balance, but it’s about removing unnecessary obstacles”, says Tracy.

Focus on safety and the whole person
Tracy points out that a prerequisite for colleagues and management to consider and accommodate people’s needs is, of course, that they know them. And here it is essential that a strong psychological safety is built up in the workplace, as it is very vulnerable to talk about one’s authentic self.

Not everywhere in the UK police service has reached this goal. But in places where the top management has taken the lead and shown a real commitment to diversity and inclusion, trust and safety flourish.

For example, in Tracy’s own police force, Essex Police, they work with a concept called a ‘wellbeing passport’. When an employee gets a new position or role, they are invited to a conversation with their new immediate supervisor – regardless of whether there is a disability involved or not.

Together, they go through a series of questions about wellbeing, and you as an individual – not just as a police officer or civilian employee. Here, they talk about all aspects: Are you a parent, are you going through menopause, are you transitioning, are you neurodivergent, are you in the middle of a divorce? What does a good day look like for you, when do you have a hard time, and what does it take to turn a bad day into a good one? Tracy continues:

“It is voluntary to participate in these conversations, but it is an effective tool to build trust and for the leader to be able to accommodate employees’ individual needs. Often, it takes few and completely free measures. And most importantly, the ‘wellbeing passport’ focuses on the whole person. In the police force, we tend to dehumanise employees. Instead, we need to rehumanise and make people feel seen as individuals.”

Clear business case
The DPA also likes to argue with numbers – if the social and well-being arguments are not enough to convince police management – that a diverse and inclusive workplace is a thriving workplace with productive employees.

It is simply a good business case to include disabled and neurodivergent people in the police force. The DPA has documented through access to court judgments that it costs the police many millions of pounds a year in compensation to these groups, due to lawsuits filed if they have been discriminated against. These are numbers that are listened to, and with Generation X and Z, there will not be fewer of these cases, as they are more aware of their rights, predicts Tracy.

She is also completely convinced that the police service in the UK will include even more neurodivergent employees in the future:

“We are constantly moving forward a little bit. Because we have an increasing number of diagnoses of ADHD and autism in the general population, especially among adults, it is important that citizens see themselves reflected in their police service. This will contribute to increased trust and safety in policing, which unfortunately has not been very good in recent years.”

About the Disabled Police Association

• The DPA is a voluntary organisation that offers networks and support to police officers and civilian employees who have suffered mental or physical health problems in service, or who have neurodivergent brains.
• The DPA is represented in all 43 police forces in England and Wales, as well as in the Police Service of Northern Ireland and Police Scotland, and in some smaller forces like Civil Nuclear Constabulary.
• The DPA works to promote equal opportunities for everyone in the police service, and has over 30,000 members.
• The DPA’s work is based on the English Equality Act of 2010, which has a broad definition of disabilities and helps ensure equality and equal opportunities for everyone.

Research underway
The DPA is in the process of learning more about the extent and conditions for people with disabilities in the police service in the UK.

In collaboration with two English universities, they have sent out an anonymous questionnaire to all police officers and civilian employees in the police service in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. The aim is to get a precise and strong database that can form the basis for research and more evidence-based knowledge in the area. This can facilitate positive transformations.

“In April, we expect to be able to look at the early results from the survey, and we are extremely happy and proud that the National Police Chiefs Council and College of Policing want our data to be able to move forward and change things on a national level”, says Tracy. ∎

Click on the link to view the original article in Danish (PDF download)

Bedfordshire Police Cultural Intelligence Lead & DPA Executive Committee member Samantha Alexander writes about sickle cell disorder (SCD) – a condition affecting an estimated 7.7 million people globally – and looks at how it can be treated and accommodated in the workplace

During National Sickle Cell Awareness Month in September and all year round, hard work is being done to continuously raise the awareness of the importance of blood donation and the calls on all eligible donors to ensure the local blood supply reflects the community. Come and take a read with me as to why.

What is sickle cell disorder?
Sickle cell (also termed sickle cell anaemia) is an inherited blood disorder that causes anaemia (a reduced ability of the blood to carry oxygen) and chronic pain.

One component of the red blood cells, haemoglobin – which carries oxygen – is defective. This results in the usually doughnut-shaped cells becoming sickle-shaped. These are unable to squeeze through small blood vessels, causing blockages that deprive organs and tissues of blood.

People who inherit the disorder have two copies of the sickle cell gene, one from each parent. If both parents are carriers, having just one copy each, there is a one in four chance of the child picking up two copies of the gene. Those who carry just one copy have the sickle cell trait but may have no symptoms.

Sickle cell crisis
There are four types of sickle cell crises (Diggs, 1965). These are: vaso-occlusive, aplastic, splenic sequestration, and hyperhemolytic. The most common is the vaso-occlusive (‘painful’) crisis which people who have sickle cell may experience.

Sickle cell trait
Sickle cell trait means you carry one copy of the sickle cell gene (HbS) and one copy of the normal haemoglobin gene (HbA).

If you have the trait, it means your body produces a very small amount of sickle haemoglobin, which means that under certain circumstances, your red blood cells can ‘sickle’.

Because most of the haemoglobin in your body is normal, the majority of people with the trait do not have any symptoms at all, and might not even think to get themselves tested.

Who can be a sickle cell carrier?
Due to the movement of people across the diasporas, contrary to a known myth, anyone can be a carrier of sickle cell, but it is much more common in people from certain ethnic backgrounds. In the UK, most people who carry the sickle cell trait have an African or Caribbean family background, but it is not exclusive to this group and can occur in White British people.

Extrapolating from 16^th century census data, leading geneticist Dr Steve Jones, of University College London, has calculated that one in five Britons, 11 million people, have a Black ancestor: “Increasing numbers of White babies are born each year carrying the sickle cell anaemia trait because of hidden Black ancestry…” “People who think of themselves as White but have the sickle cell trait almost certainly had a Black ancestor” he said. (Source: The Independent – ‘Hidden Black Ancestry Linked to Rise in Sickle Cell Disorder’)

What about testing?
Everyone should get tested because if you are a carrier (have the trait), your children could have sickle cell disease, should the other parent also be a carrier.

Being tested is also important if you are having surgery: there is a slightly higher rate of complications during surgery if you have the trait. However, if your anaesthetist is aware, they can make sure you have extra oxygen, which reduces the chances of complications.

Why oxygen?
Lack of oxygen is one of the known causes of complications in people with sickle cell trait. So be careful if you’re at a high altitude (e.g. at the top of a mountain, long-haul flights).

Many people with sickle cell trait can and do lead normal lives and can even excel. People with ‘trait’ are often told they cannot do sport or travel to high altitudes, but this is not true – they just need to take a little extra care.

Another common myth suggests that sickle cell trait rarely carries any symptoms. However, it is gradually seen that it can cause pain in a number of individuals. For those with a sickle cell trait, 20-40% of the haemoglobin is HbS (in comparison to 80-100% in patients with a sickle cell disorder), suggesting that some sickling and the associated joint/crisis pain can occur.

Sickle cell and the Equality Act 2010
Sickle cell symptoms like pain, fatigue, stress and depression resulting from normal activities meet the criteria for disability, and the majority of people with SCD are deemed to be disabled. Even if your condition is controlled, you may still be considered disabled in the eyes of the law.

The Access to Work and Disability Confident Employer schemes are available for employees and employers including those who live with SCD and also those who have sickle cell trait. Click on the links for more information on these schemes.

June 19^th is World Sickle Cell Day, a United Nations recognised day to raise awareness of sickle cell disorder across the world, and September is Sickle Cell Awareness Month.

You can help! Read more about giving blood. ∎

This blog was originally published on the Bedfordshire Police intranet – it is reproduced here with kind permission of the author

She’s passionate about making Essex Police and policing in general more diverse and inclusive to reflect the communities we serve. So Inspector Tracy Betts was a perfect fit when the Disabled Policing Association was seeking a new president. And she’s hoping to inspire change nationally.

“I feel privileged that people have trusted me with such an important role. It’s given me the opportunity to influence people for the good of my policing colleagues nationally and to have a positive impact on policing.”

And this Purple Light Up Day – December 3 which is also International Day for Persons with Disabilities – Tracy says it’s all about celebrating difference.

“That’s the biggest message. Particularly cognitive difference, so, the way we think and learn. It’s not just about supporting people with a disability or a difference or a difficulty, it’s about celebrating the diversity they can bring to our Forces.

“People think you have to be registered disabled or you have to have a physical disability but it is anything which impacts on your day-to-day life. And it doesn’t have to be permanent. You may be disabled and not realise you are disabled. So it’s about understanding what disability really means and then being able to help yourself, work colleagues, friends and family to be the best you and they can be.”

And it’s in the area of police recruitment and retention of officers and staff which Tracy feels the Disabled Police Association can play a major part, alongside other national staff associations such as the National LGBT+ Police Network and the National Black Police Association.

“As a police service, we need to be able to move forward and we need to be able to change policing in the light of the way our communities think and rebuild those relationships that have been damaged in the past few years.

“For example, we’ve got a lot of young people coming into Essex Police who are much more open in talking about difference. People may come into the Force with assessments for autism and dyslexia or they are neurodivergent in another way, such as ADHD, OCD or Tourette’s. These are things we are understanding about more all the time.

“And that’s just ‘invisible disability’, the disabilities people don’t see. There are visible disabilities, and sensory impairment as well. But we have people with lived experience throughout the force who are here to help them.

“As a Force, we don’t get it right all the time, but we are committed to being able to change. And that’s the wonderful thing – to be able to change and evolve. This is reflected in the fact that the Essex Police is a Disability Confident Leader organisation.”

The DPA represents disability networks in the 43 police forces of England and Wales. It is consulted at the highest national level – including the Home Office and the National Police Chiefs’ Council – helping to change the way forces recruit, retain and develop their police officers and staff.

And it has been heavily involved in the Police Uplift Programme. This set out to recruit 20,000 police officers between summer 2019 and March 2023 – about 15% of the national workforce.

“The DPA has been pivotal, communicating the lived experiences of police officers and staff to the decision-makers, in a practical way. It’s made a massive amount of change in the past three years and I want that to continue.

“We’ve never had such a good opportunity to change the face of policing nationally.”

Tracy says it’s not just about supporting people with disabilities with reasonable adjustments, it’s about understanding what disability means. And all the national policing staff associations have worked with the College of Policing to ensure recruitment criteria mean we get the most diverse candidates coming forward.

“Record numbers of women, Black, Asian and minority ethnicities and people with disabilities have applied to join police forces over the past year. So it’s been effective. This is so important because we need to represent the communities we serve. If we don’t, they aren’t going to recognise themselves in the police.

Unfortunately, the police service has lost the trust and confidence of some communities and we need to rebuild it.”

A career detective for much of her 27 years in policing, Tracy joined Bedfordshire Police in 1995, transferring to Essex three years later.

Her ‘day job’ is now managing our Professional Assessment Team, helping to ensure every sergeant and inspector who is promoted into the role is supported and assessed during their first year in their new job.

She has also chaired the Essex Police Disability and Carers’ Network. Tracy is diagnosed with dyslexia and has other neurodivergent traits. She also has some physical health conditions, which fit into the definition of disability.

But she doesn’t fit into just one category.

“There are lots of parts of me. I’m not just a female police officer, I’m a female menopausal disabled police officer. I’m a mother and a grandmother and I also follow a faith so I have protected characteristics.

“So when we are looking at our policies and procedures to be able to recruit people, develop them and retain talent, the skills and knowledge we need as a service, we’ve got to make sure that we appeal to every part of them not just one aspect.

“We need to look at the whole.”

For more information on police recruitment and the support offered by the DPA, visit the police recruitment hub at joiningthepolice.co.uk ∎

This article originally appeared on the Essex Police website – it is reproduced here with kind permission of the author