Positive Action

Positive action is a range of initiatives that employers can lawfully take to actively encourage individuals from under-represented groups to apply. We encourage applications from people in under-represented groups who are looking for new and challenging career opportunities.

Positive action is often confused with Positive Discrimination. Positive action does not mean people will be recruited simply because of their gender, ethnicity or sexual orientation. This is ‘positive discrimination’ which is unlawful. We treat all applicants equally and recruitment is based on merit.

Creating a more diverse workforce and building a more inclusive organisation benefits everyone, not only at NYP but also the wider public of North Yorkshire. Internally, if we all feel valued and equally able to fulfil our potential, it means we can go out and deliver a higher level of service to the public.

Speaking about Positive Action, how central it is to NYP’s success and the role we all play, Assistant Chief Constable Elliot Foskett said:

"As an ACC in NYP, I have a huge degree of influence over a wide range of things, but none of them are more important to the core of who I am than the work that we are now doing around diversity and positive action. These aren’t just words to me, they are my mission; this is what enthuses me, drives me and what makes me want to strive for even greater understanding.

"Positive Action is not about giving a group of people something that others can’t have. Positive Action in NYP is about removing barriers that the majority can’t even see. It’s not about benevolence, it’s about compassion. It isn’t about disadvantaging the many for the benefit of the few, it is about advantaging the few for the benefit of the many.

"We ALL have protected characteristics – at least five of them. But when you don’t recognise that someone else is being disadvantaged because of how society – or the organisation – has set up a system, you probably don’t have a minority protected characteristic. We pretty much all joined the police to make a difference. Help us BE the difference."

Find out more about diversity, equality and inclusion at NYP.

Our aim

North Yorkshire Police aim to recruit talented people with as diverse a range of skills and experience we can, which can make a real difference to all the communities that we serve.

Recruiting from the widest pool of people will mean we recruit individuals who can speak other languages, understand other cultural and minority groups, other lifestyles, religions and beliefs and are willing to use those skills to the benefit of the community and the organisation.  A more diverse workforce will build trust and confidence across communities, will improve engagement and sharing of information and provide both officers and staff with the skills to deliver a more confident and professional service.

North Yorkshire Police is currently under-represented from black and minority ethnic backgrounds including Eastern European and Chinese communities, from those with disability, from women and from the LGBTQ+ communities.

We are very keen to encourage applications from these groups and to support them through every stage of the process.

Did you know you can get pre-application assistance from our Positive Action Coordinators? Contact them via email.

Our support networks

We are proud of our Inclusion & Diversity Network and the six individual support networks formed, each representing a protected characteristic, to provide support, assistance, information and guidance to both Police Officers and Police Staff and their families with both personal and professional issues. The networks providing support and help to these under-represented groups include:

• disability

• race

• religion

• gender

• LGBTQ+

• neurodiversity (including dyslexia, autism etc.)