The Chief Constable at North Yorkshire Police has banned off-duty officers from wearing their uniforms when participating in Pride parades, in order for the force to "act impartially at all times".
Tim Forber, Chief Constable of North Yorkshire Police, issued the guidance after the force received a number of enquiries from the public seeking reassurance of the stance it will adopt in policing events.
He said he is "absolutely clear" that only North Yorkshire Police officers on duty and policing such events could wear their uniforms on the day, with officers also prohibited from altering police uniforms or changing livery on police vehicles to "show support for any cause".
The announcement followed a High Court ruling relating to Northumbria Police, which found the force had acted unlawfully by allowing its officers to take part in a Pride event last year.
The landmark decision came as Northumbria Police and its Chief Constable Vanessa Jardine were brought before court after a challenge by gender-critical campaigner Linzi Smith.
A judge ruled in Smith's favour after she argued that police's "uniformed participation" in last year's march broke the professional oath sworn by each officer to act "with impartiality" at work.
In a statement, Tim Forber, Chief Constable of North Yorkshire Police, said: "It is absolutely essential that the police act impartially at all times and are seen to do so by all the communities we serve.
"Participating in protest activity, or parades that support any ‘cause’ can quite rightly undermine the public’s confidence in that impartiality, especially where there are a range of legitimate views about any particular issue."
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Ahead of the court ruling, CC Forber said there had already been a "visible change in the policing presence at pride events" in the county, including at this year’s York Pride.
It differed from last year’s York Pride when uniformed officers could be seen participating in the parade, engaging with members of the public and celebrating York’s LGBTQ+ community.
Following the court ruling, CC Forber said that the force's focus is on keeping the public safe, reducing crime and bringing offenders to justice.
"I am absolutely clear that the only North Yorkshire Police officers on duty and in uniform at such events will be those actively engaged in policing the event," he said.
NORTHUMBRIA POLICE | PICTURED: Northumbria Police officers march at 2022's Northern Pride parade"Of course, any North Yorkshire Police officer who wishes to ‘participate’ in a parade or lawful protest may do so, but they must be off-duty and are not permitted to wear their uniform.
"I do not allow the altering of police uniform or the changing of the livery of police vehicles to show support for any cause.
"The public expect their police force to be focused on keeping them safe; reducing crime; and bringing offenders to justice and North Yorkshire Police is determined to do just that.
"Over the past year, in York and North Yorkshire, all crime fell by 5.8 per cent; anti-social behaviour by nearly 18 per cent; we arrested 330 more offenders than the previous year; and we now have the highest charge rate of any police force in the country."