FOI 391885

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: 391885

I write in connection with your request for information which was received on 27^th February 2025 . Please find below the response to your request:

Please can you advise me what your policy is on the gender and pronouns you use when a suspect/criminal is transgender? My enquiry relates to the recording of crimes and public communications/press releases, not internal HR procedures for police officers.

Please can you give me direct answers to the following questions.

1. Would the force describe someone as having a gender and/or pronouns that are different to their birth sex if they DO NOT have a gender recognition certificate (GRC)? E.g. if a person born male identifies as a woman but does not have a GRC, would you call them a woman and use she/her pronouns?

2. Would the force describe someone as having a gender and/or pronouns that are different to their birth sex if they DO have a gender recognition certificate (GRC)? E.g. if a person born male identifies as a woman and has a GRC, would you call them a woman and use she/her pronouns?

3. In cases of rape, which requires male genitalia to commit, would the force use she/her pronouns and record the suspect/culprit's gender as female, if they identity as a woman but DO NOT have a GRC?

4. In cases of rape, which requires male genitalia to commit, would the force use she/her pronouns and record the suspect/culprit's gender as female, if they identity as a woman and DO have a GRC?

Reply

West Mercia Police hold some of the information requested.

West Mercia Police do not currently have a Policy which directs the correct procedure, and we are awaiting national direction, therefore no information is held. However the person would be referred to in their lived/required gender but ultimately, we would be asking the suspect how they refer to themselves. For recording purposes where a GRC is held this would be how the individual is referred to as this is now their recognised gender legally.