One in four police forces across Britain are allowing transgender officers to carry multiple warrant cards reflecting different gender identities, a new investigation has revealed.
The controversial policy permits officers to hold separate warrant cards depending on which gender they choose to present as on any given day.
Police warrant cards, which must be shown before exercising powers such as stop and search, can be issued as two or more versions to officers who identify as transgender or genderfluid.
As revealed by Freedom of Information requests filed by the Daily Mail, 12 out of 47 police forces questioned allow transgender officers to carry multiple warrant cards.
The investigation also revealed that 28 forces permit transgender staff to use facilities matching their gender identity, including showers, toilets and changing rooms.
Five forces did not respond to the Mail's requests for information.
Seven forces, including the Metropolitan Police and West Midlands Police, said they were reviewing their trans policies or creating "new frameworks".
A further seven forces, including North Wales and Hampshire, said there was no policy in place.
Thames Valley Police, Norfolk, Cheshire, and Leicestershire are among the forces allowing officers to carry multiple warrant cards.
Essex Police and Bedfordshire permit two warrant cards, with Essex's policy specifically designed for early transition periods.
The county police's policy says that dual cards prevent staff from having to "out" themselves when proving their identity while off-duty.
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Under Essex's system, one card displays only the force number and surname, while the other shows the force number and full name.
Norfolk's policy, outlined in their Trans Equality at Work document, also extends to allowing trans staff to choose which facilities they feel most comfortable using.
Maya Forstater, executive director of charity Sex Matters, called the situation "a scandal waiting to happen."
"Allowing any man - whatever he calls himself and whatever he is wearing - to walk into women's showers, changing rooms and toilets, or to search, including strip search, women is a violation of women's dignity," she said.
While Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: "Biological males should under no circumstances be using female facilities - in police stations or anywhere else. The Government must review this approach and put the safety of women first."
Forstater referenced the horror case of Wayne Couzens, who raped, strangled, burned and buried Sarah Everard while off-duty, noting that "no one can be treated as beyond suspicion."
Retired police superintendent Cathy Larkman, national policing lead for the Women's Rights Network, condemned the policies as "misogyny writ large".
"It's reprehensible that policewomen are expected to change and shower in the presence of male officers and staff," she said.
Former Met officer Steve Perkins revealed his wife felt "violated" when a male colleague identifying as a woman entered while she was changing at a Met facility.
And retired Met detective Peter Bleksley added: "It's all outrageous and putting women at risk. Woke nonsense ideology gone mad."
A Met spokesman said: "At present there is no formal policy in place for transgender and gender diverse staff and officers. The policy is currently in early development stages and will then go out for consultation across the organisation. It will provide clear guidance for officers, staff and line managers."
A College of Policing spokesman added: "All employers, including policing, are required to comply with the Equality Act, and equality legislation set by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, the independent statutory body with the responsibility to encourage equality and diversity, eliminate unlawful discrimination, and protect and promote the human rights of everyone in Britain."
An NPCC spokesman also said: "Forces are all operationally independent so any policies would be prepared locally. NPCC will often issue guidance but this is not usually a directive and the force will make their own decisions about how to manage a particular issue or process."
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The controversial policy permits officers to hold separate warrant cards depending on which gender they choose to present as on any given day.
Police warrant cards, which must be shown before exercising powers such as stop and search, can be issued as two or more versions to officers who identify as transgender or genderfluid.
As revealed by Freedom of Information requests filed by the Daily Mail, 12 out of 47 police forces questioned allow transgender officers to carry multiple warrant cards.
The investigation also revealed that 28 forces permit transgender staff to use facilities matching their gender identity, including showers, toilets and changing rooms.
Five forces did not respond to the Mail's requests for information.
Seven forces, including the Metropolitan Police and West Midlands Police, said they were reviewing their trans policies or creating "new frameworks".
A further seven forces, including North Wales and Hampshire, said there was no policy in place.
Thames Valley Police, Norfolk, Cheshire, and Leicestershire are among the forces allowing officers to carry multiple warrant cards.
Essex Police and Bedfordshire permit two warrant cards, with Essex's policy specifically designed for early transition periods.
The county police's policy says that dual cards prevent staff from having to "out" themselves when proving their identity while off-duty.
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Under Essex's system, one card displays only the force number and surname, while the other shows the force number and full name.
Norfolk's policy, outlined in their Trans Equality at Work document, also extends to allowing trans staff to choose which facilities they feel most comfortable using.
Maya Forstater, executive director of charity Sex Matters, called the situation "a scandal waiting to happen."
"Allowing any man - whatever he calls himself and whatever he is wearing - to walk into women's showers, changing rooms and toilets, or to search, including strip search, women is a violation of women's dignity," she said.
While Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: "Biological males should under no circumstances be using female facilities - in police stations or anywhere else. The Government must review this approach and put the safety of women first."
Forstater referenced the horror case of Wayne Couzens, who raped, strangled, burned and buried Sarah Everard while off-duty, noting that "no one can be treated as beyond suspicion."
Retired police superintendent Cathy Larkman, national policing lead for the Women's Rights Network, condemned the policies as "misogyny writ large".
"It's reprehensible that policewomen are expected to change and shower in the presence of male officers and staff," she said.
Former Met officer Steve Perkins revealed his wife felt "violated" when a male colleague identifying as a woman entered while she was changing at a Met facility.
And retired Met detective Peter Bleksley added: "It's all outrageous and putting women at risk. Woke nonsense ideology gone mad."
A Met spokesman said: "At present there is no formal policy in place for transgender and gender diverse staff and officers. The policy is currently in early development stages and will then go out for consultation across the organisation. It will provide clear guidance for officers, staff and line managers."
A College of Policing spokesman added: "All employers, including policing, are required to comply with the Equality Act, and equality legislation set by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, the independent statutory body with the responsibility to encourage equality and diversity, eliminate unlawful discrimination, and protect and promote the human rights of everyone in Britain."
An NPCC spokesman also said: "Forces are all operationally independent so any policies would be prepared locally. NPCC will often issue guidance but this is not usually a directive and the force will make their own decisions about how to manage a particular issue or process."
Find Out More...