Birmingham
— A police force today pledged to offer help and
support to a female firearms officer who is set to
undergo a sex change operation.
West Midlands Police said
its main concern was to retain the services of Pc Eve
Bradley, who is already known to colleagues as
Lee.
The 27-year-old officer,
who has nine years’ service, told the Birmingham
Evening Mail she had decided to become a man two
years ago.
Pc Bradley, who has been
taken off frontline duties until the gender reassignment
has taken place, said: “It was a difficult decision
to make because of the thought of how other people would
take it and how the force would be with it.
“Nobody
wants to stand out against the norm because
people’s lack of knowledge about this can
sometimes lead to a horrible attitude.
“But this
wasn’t something which happened overnight. I
recognised a long time ago that I was born in the
wrong body.”
Pc Bradley, who is based
in Birmingham, praised the force for its
backing.
“It is very
much like a family unit here and my colleagues
haven’t treated me any different. They like me
and get on with me. It is just business as
usual.”
A West Midlands Police
spokesman said: “This is a personal decision for
him.
“Our main
concern is to provide help and support, and to retain
Lee’s services within the firearms
department.
“West Midlands
Police is committed to equality of opportunity, both
in provision of services and in our role as an
employer. All staff, volunteers, applicants and
customers have the right to be treated with fairness,
dignity and respect and to ensure that the working
environment is fair and supportive to individual
needs.
“This includes
transgender people.”
