Dear Resident,

To all residents of the St Albans District, I want to take this opportunity to recognise International Women’s Day which happened on Saturday 8th March 2025. Did you know that March is Women’s History Month? A time to celebrate the achievements of women and girls, reflect on the progress made, and recognise the challenges that remain. This message will be split into two parts: (a) women in Hertfordshire Constabulary and (b) our commitment to tackling crimes which disproportionately affect women. 

Women in Hertfordshire Constabulary: 

As of 31st March 2024, 35.4% of Police Officers in England and Wales were women (52,331 officers), the highest number and proportion of female officers since comparable records began in March 2003 (Home Office). Hertfordshire Constabulary prides itself on equal opportunities for men and women, and we are currently recruiting Police Officers, Police Community Support Officers, Detectives, Special Constables, and Communications Operators. We have a strong commitment to equality and diversity both within the organisation and in the service we provide. In light of this, if you have any questions relating to recruitment or a career in Policing, please send us your questions by clicking “Reply” at the bottom of this message. Whether you want to know more about a job role, entry route, or about our day-to-day, feel free to ask us anything! 

See what roles are currently available by clicking here: Careers | Hertfordshire Constabulary

Crimes affecting Women and Girls: 

You may have heard us use the expression VAWG which is an acronym that stands for Violence Against Women and Girls. There are some crimes which disproportionately affect women and girls, including but not limited to stalking, sexual assault, domestic violence, and coercive control. In Hertfordshire, tackling VAWG crimes remains a priority so that everyone can feel safe in our county. Following the tragic murder of Sarah Everard in 2021, we have embedded VAWG preventative strategies into all aspects of policing. For instance, we have specialist Domestic Abuse and Safeguarding Units dedicated to supporting and protecting victims and investigating crimes sensitively. We also run a specialist Operation called Vigilant which is a proactive Operation where uniformed and plain clothes officers are deployed to towns and cities during peak night-time economy periods to identify and challenge unwanted, predatory behaviour towards women. 

Part of our role on the Neighbourhood Policing Team is understanding community problems and implementing impactful solutions alongside partner agencies. With that said, do you have any concerns or worries relating to VAWG? Are there any areas or streets you feel particularly anxious to walk down? Please do voice your concerns or direct your questions to us by sending us a “Reply” message below. 

Please consider completing this survey, which focuses on “Feelings of Safety”: 

Please click here to complete the survey

Thank you for reading and engaging with this content respectfully. Don’t forget to rate this message by clicking the thumbs up/down button at the bottom of this message so we can review how useful this type of message is for you. And if you have any questions, comments, or feedback, please hit the “Reply” button and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible. 

Kind regards,

Fiona.