Sarah Everard: Cleveland Police officer's safety fears after murder

Cleveland Police Assistant Chief Constable Lisa Theaker said things had improved in policing

A senior police officer says she has taken steps to protect herself while off duty after Sarah Everard's murder.

Cleveland Police Assistant Chief Constable Lisa Theaker said women fearing for their safety had to change, and "men need to embody that change".

Met Police officer Wayne Couzens had used his warrant card to falsely arrest Ms Everard before he murdered her.

ACC Theaker said misogyny existed in all forces and "we must and should expect more from police officers".

Sarah Everard, originally from York, was killed by serving police officer Wayne Couzens

In a guest post on the chief constable's blog, she said everyone had a "responsibility" to make workplaces welcoming and to "provide a safe space for women to speak up".

"We see in forces across the country that misogyny exists in the same way it exists in society," she said.

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She then called on her male colleagues to start talking about what they could do to help women in policing, including "tackling any inappropriate comments".

On Thursday, North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Philip Allott stepped down after he faced sustained criticism for urging women in a BBC interview to be "streetwise".

Philip Allott said he would "do the decent thing" and leave his post.

ACC Theaker joined Cleveland Police in 2019 and became Assistant Chief Constable this April. Previously she led the investigation into the murder of Gateshead woman Alice Ruggles.

She said: "As a woman in policing, I can say categorically that things have improved over the course of my 21 years of service. However, better does not mean perfect.

"I want to hear a diversity of voices talking about the safety of women in society."

She said Sarah Everard's death would bring "reflection and change, not simply for the police service but the whole criminal justice system and society in general".

"The dignity shown by Sarah Everard's family is an example, and a demand, that we do much better," she said.