In December, it was revealed that the Police Authority had drafted a new proposal for regulations regarding the wearing of uniforms outside working hours, which would ban it at, among other things, political campaigns such as Pride. The Police Union believes this is wrong.

Uniformed police have become a common sight at Pride festivals in recent years, but not everyone agrees on the appropriateness of this. In addition to banning uniforms on private social media, the Police Authority also wants to prevent police officers from wearing work attire at Pride events.

Before the final decision, the proposal was sent out for consultation, and the Police Union recently submitted its opinion. They welcome tighter rules, except when it comes to Pride specifically. According to the Police Union, police should also be allowed to participate in Pride during working hours, as this would be a way for the police to stand up for human rights and market themselves as a modern employer.

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– For us, it is about defending democratic values and everyone’s right to security. LGBTQI people have historically been subjected to violations by the police. It is a group where many feel unsafe when they see police officers. I can understand that some people consider Pride to be politically charged. But we do not share that view. The Police Union does not see Pride as primarily a political expression. We believe it is about showing the LGBTQI community that we are here for them as well, says Sophia Willander, First Vice Chair of the Police Union, to Polistidningen.

Creating Security Through Participation

When Polistidningen first reported on the proposal, it received many positive reactions from police officers, and Sophia Willander admits that there are divided opinions.

At the same time, she believes it would not be difficult to allocate a few hours of work time per year for the time it takes to participate in a parade.

– Creating security is one of the authority’s core missions, and being visible in uniform at Pride is exactly that.

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