A POLICE Force in Britain has sparked outrage after the force unveiled a less revealing uniform for Muslim women which is ‘designed not to show the female form’.
West Yorkshire Police said that the looser fit will result in more ethnic minority recruits.
Many forces already allow female officers to wear the hijab, or headscarf, but the new uniform is believed to be a UK first.
Assistant Chief Constable Angela Williams said: ‘For the last month we have been trialling a new uniform for women which is designed not to show the female form.
‘This was suggested by a Muslim female officer and was designed by our Clothing Manager in conjunction with the officer.
The tunic is a looser and longer fit, and has full sleeves. This has been well-received from officers in the force and we have now made further supplies of this uniform for other officers to trial it if they wish.
‘I hope this uniform will encourage people from underrepresented groups to consider a career in policing if they had previously been put off joining the force due to the uniform.
‘We are open to suggestions from all communities on how our uniform can be styled to better suit their needs.’
Pc Firzana Ahmed became the first to wear the new kit and says it has brought ‘positive feedback from the local community’ in Bradford.
