London – UK Police Adopt Uniform with Muslim Hijab

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    Metropolitan police officers wearing a uniform hijabLondon – Police have opened the door to female Muslim recruits by incorporating the hijab into the uniform.

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    The force has become the latest to approve a design for a headscarf suitable for officers on patrol.

    Senior officers believe the lack of the option has deterred applications from the considerable number of Muslim women who choose to wear the hijab.

    The police hijab is plain black and made of a flame-retardant material.

    Officers will be able to wear a standard police hat on top of it.

    A small number of forces nationwide have taken a similar step, including Thames Valley and the Metropolitan police.

    Superintendent Geoff Feavyour, who leads the Leicestershire Constabulary recruitment team, compared the development to the incorporation of the turban several years ago, which removed a barrier to the recruitment of male Sikhs.

    The police’s annual report for 2007/08 showed women made up about 23 per cent of the force’s officers.

    The number of officers from black and Asian communities stood at about six per cent – short of the 15 per cent target.

    Mr Feavyour said: “Clearly, we want people from all walks of life to join the force and the fact we have the hijab available now shows our commitment to that. It’s an extension to our uniform which will, hopefully, show people they are welcome.

    “It is very important to us that the force reflects the community it serves.”

    The move has also been welcomed by officers, including the Leicestershire branch of the National Association of Muslim Police.

    Sgt Yakub Ismail, chairman of the branch, said: “Leicestershire Constabulary is always understanding and supportive of the religious needs of its staff.

    “It has always encouraged applicants from all communities and religious denominations.

    “I firmly believe neighbourhood policing can only be truly achieved by having officers from within those neighbourhoods being part of the police family.”

    Sughra Ahmed, a research fellow at the Islamic Foundation, in Markfield, said: “Not every Muslim woman who wants to join the police would want to wear the hijab, but that choice is there now and that is a very important step.

    “There may also be women who are already with the force who do not wear the scarf but choose to later. Again, this will be positive for them.”

    Sabrina Khan, a 19-year-old student from Evington, Leicester, said: “I don’t wear the veil, but a lot of my family and friends do.

    “I have seen Sikh officers wearing turbans and if I saw a female officer wearing the hijab, I would feel that the police respected the Muslim faith.”

    Osob Osman, an 18-year-old student from North Evington, said: “The hijab has had a lot of bad press during the past couple of years.

    “This will give women more career opportunities and, hopefully, change people’s attitudes to Muslim people.”

    Police spoke to community groups, including the Leicestershire Federation of Muslim Organisations, when they were developing the garment.

    Suleman Nagdi, spokesman for the federation, said: “It’s a wonderful move and it will help the police encompass a wider range of people in its recruitment.”

    Resham Singh Sandhu, chairman of the Sikh Welfare and Cultural Society and a trustee of Leicester Council of Faiths, said: “This is a positive step forward for religious people who want to serve the community as police officers.”


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    26 Comments
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    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    By the time liberals are finished with these type of things the world will be controled by islamofacist

    Milhouse
    Milhouse
    15 years ago

    This seems fair. Let’s not have the usual blind anti-Moslem ranting. There are plenty of Moslems in the UK who are NOT radical Islamists, and are committed to protecting everybody’s rights. Let’s not discourage them. Reasonable accommodation for religious headgear, as has always been available for Sikhs, doesn’t mean we’re suddenly turning dhimmi.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    Sick country!!! Thats all we need now!

    Babishka
    Member
    Babishka
    15 years ago

    Do they have an official sheitel for Orthodox women officers?

    Avraham
    Avraham
    15 years ago

    As they say in Arabic, “dawla ma’ana” which in plain English means, “the government is with us”.

    Manny
    Manny
    15 years ago

    Welcome to ‘LONDONISTAN’

    just wondering
    just wondering
    15 years ago

    I was just wondering how they can run in their hijab if they had to stop a suspect.

    anonymous
    anonymous
    15 years ago

    how do their arab husbands let their wives work for the police? isnt it too public?

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    Next its going to be Sharia Laws for the UK!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    We have a MINHAG HAMAKOM, In Shul we yiden daven the nusach of the shul, and not ones own.In your country you dress your way when you are in another country THAT IS NOT YOUR HOME COUNTRY,and you want to join a government body, you do not give conditions. If it does not suit your religious direction, then you just don’t go in that area!!!!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    Can someone explain why anyone is upset? It sounds like a good thing to me.

    Obamanation
    Obamanation
    15 years ago

    last week on this web site was a vidio how the british police where being chased by the muslim demonstaters through the streets. now that they will have there owen people in the police who will they chase now???:-)

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    I wonder if the Saudi police force has the same uniform. Oh, I forgot, women are not allowed in the Saudi police force!

    emabarassed to be british
    emabarassed to be british
    15 years ago

    I have to admit I am embarassed to hold a UK passport. They forever pander to these people. As the earlier post said they may not all be violent but you never hear them condemn those that are – shtika kehoda’a. Its time to make a mass aliya

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    All you guys who are defending the rights of Muslims… Yet the silence from the Muslims by any terror attacks is deafaning… and you wonder why people HATE Muslims… phew… Yemach Shmom Vzichrom

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    25: Since when does the exception prove the rule? (And not everyone friendly to your face has friendly thoughts in their hearts.)