Our Strategy

Our Vision

The DPA works with others:

  • To shape a police service where diverse abilities are valued and understood
  • Focusing on what an individual is able to do, within an inclusive and accessible workplace
  • Enabling individuals to fulfil their potential as their authentic selves

Our Mission

  • To support and represent those affected by disabilities, including those who live with conditions but do not refer to themselves as ‘disabled’
  • To work with all stakeholders both internal and external to provide the best possible guidance
  • To act as a single voice for all disabled officers and staff, uniting all Forces together as one national voice
  • To ensure Forces meet the short, medium and long-term goals set out within this strategy

Our Membership

Anyone who is a serving or retired officer, staff member, contractor, or volunteer in a UK police force can join the DPA. Membership is free of charge. Click here to join us.

Short Term Goals and Objectives (2025)

During the remainder of 2025 the DPA will strive to get all police forces signed up to the DPA Pledge.

The following steps will be completed for this to happen:

  • Assistant Chief Officer and NPCC lead for Disability Andrew Price (Derbyshire) and Chief Constable Rachel Swann, NPCC Lead for Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (Derbyshire) will send out the DPA Pledge to all Chief Constables via Chiefs Net and to all Police and Crime Commissioners (PCC’s) via the Office of the PCC
  • All DPA Committee members will be tasked to liaise with their individual Force’s Chief Constables and PCCs to encourage them to agree to the Pledge
  • At the year end we will be able to measure our success in relation to how many Forces have singed the Pledge
  • Organising and delivering a successful annual Disability in Policing Conference

Medium Term Goals and Objectives (2026)

  1. The DPA will create sub-groups on each of the Force requirements, feeding these into the newly formed Strategic Disability Working Group chaired by ACO Andrew Price, NPCC Disability Lead
  2. The DPA will ensure Forces understand the seven Force requirements and how they can be implemented in each individual Force

The table below will continually be updated with information from the sub-groups to help Forces.

Seven PledgesWhy is this required in
your Force?		How to implement this
pledge within your
organisation
Reduce sickness levels,
grievances and
employment tribunals
involving disabled staff
recording them separately
under disability for
monitoring		To ensure themes are
identified, learning is
tracked and
improvements made		Ensure disability is
recorded for sickness
levels, grievance,
employment tribunals
under a separate
heading. Requirement to meet the definition under
the Equality Act. Many
Forces were not able to
provide accurate
information from a
Freedom of Information
request made by the DPA
in 2024 as reasons were
not recorded individually
for auditing.
Use appropriate language
using ‘advise’ or ‘share’
instead of ‘disclose’		To ensure inclusivity as
these are positive words – ‘disclose’ can be seen as
a negative term		Go though policies, procedures and intranet sites
to check for these words
and change them,
explaining why
Accurately measure
numbers of disabled staff
by asking appropriate
questions, having regard
to the definition of
disability under the
Equality Act		We hope changing the
language above to advise
or share will encourage
more people to share
conditions and
disabilities		There will be more
national communication
to follow in relation to how
this could be done in
Force
Support mandatory
training for all staff		To ensure we meet our
obligations under
Disability Confident
Leader Level 3 status
Supports the public, staff
and officers		We are speaking to the
College of Policing to see if a central training package can be
created and shared with
Forces
Commit to working with
local and national staff
support networks , staff
associations and trade
unions		Forces have incredible
knowledge in these
networks but often forget
to consult them – also due
to intersectionality they
may go to one network,
not all		Embed the knowledge of
local and national
networks within Equality,
Inclusion and Diversity
leads in Forces
Identify and support role
models with disabilities
and their supervisors to
inspire individuals
internally and externally
of what can be achieved		Shows that the Force is
inclusive and actively
practices Disability
Confident Leader Level 3
obligations		Use internal Force
communications and
external communication
platforms to celebrate
success, award
nominations etc.
Commit to achieving
Disability Confident
Leader Level 3 status		To show the public, staff
and officers that the Force is committed to
recruiting, retaining and
valuing disabled officers
and staff		A lot of support available
through Purple Space
and buddies from other
Forces. Email us to
request your disability
chair to be given access
to the portal. The DPA are
now members of
PurpleSpace and all its
resources from April 2025 to April 2026.

Long Term Goals and Objectives (2027)

  1. During 2026 the DPA will have assisted Forces implementing the Pledge within their organisations
  2. In 2027 the DPA will send out self-assessment forms to Forces to review individual Forces to confirm their progress against the Pledge made during 2026
  3. We will seek evidence of actual progress made and where required will provide support and assistance to ensure each requirement is fulfilled
  4. Each Force will receive a progress score showing what they have achieved

Useful Resources

• Workplace adjustments toolkit (College of Policing)
• Social model of disability (Disability charity Scope UK)
• PurpleSpace