Surely you have to qualify to be and work as a police officer first before you apply to be a dog handler with them?

The requirements to join the Police Force here in the UK are very stringent. They aren't taking on all that many new ones either.

Preference is given to those who go over and above what they are required to do (i.e. taking extraneous courses and qualifications that will assist).

Yes, Tang. I merely asked about women getting the position. That is a part of why the statement they gave me was such garbage. I didn't apply nor was I going to apply. I don't want to work in law enforcement, I want to work with dogs.

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but why apply to the police force is you don't want to work in law enforcement

I am not sure anyone could say its a privilege to fight on the front line . I think many of the reasons behind this type of discrimination are valid , in most cases woman are not as strong as men, and giving equal opportunities may also put other lives at risk if you are not up to the job and give said job just to fill quotas.. I believe one of the reasons for excluding woman from the front line was/is due to the men feeling they have to look out for them, hence putting their own lives at risk.

Things are changing slowly whether its right is another matter, but I am only talking here of soldiers on the front line and where muscle over matter is concerned.

Regarding the police force, I am surprised that woman are excluded from being police dog handlers, they are plenty here in the UK, you don't need brute strength to be in charge of a dog.

I'm not anti feminist, but .........

are women as effective a deterrent when it comes to confronting serious crime of a violent nature?

We have height restrictions also for our service personnel. I doubt that's because there is a 'heightist' policy, but rather because to be put in a violent and demanding position when tensions are running high, it's better to have a 6 ft 6 inch copper who is as broad as he is tall rather than a 5'5", scrawny one, or, dare I say a women?

I tend to believe in realism rather than feminism

Jackie, as usual... you aren't reading. you're just saying things. I DID NOT apply, I merely inquired. I said that already. I said that in the statement you quoted Somehow you managed to read over that.

I just wanted to hear their position. I never filled out any applications and I didn't have the intention to. Like I said, most women who are K9 officers have been in the force many years before even being considered anyway.

Glad about that Myra, as I am in the next state to you right now

I've seen plenty of 'scrawny' coppers and you don't need to have brute strength to be a good police officer. A lot of the time it comes down to how you handle a situation before it escalates, so strength is secondary.
Also, plently of women are physically strong. (I'm stronger than quite a few guys I know).
Also, most of the 'fight tactics' do not require that much physical strength, if you know what you're doing then you can use the other person's strength against them.

It's fine to have physical requirements for jobs like that, but they should apply the same to men and women. Women should NOT be excluded for doing a job they might be qualified for and fit to do, just because they are women.
If the requirements for the job are clearly outlined, all applicants must fit the criteria. But nobody should be discriminated against for whatever reason.

If a tall, strong woman with excellent skills and experience applies to be a police dog handler, there is absolutely no reason for her not to get the job.
Feminism means everybody is treated EQUALLY. So yes, for certain jobs the criteria might be that a lot of women don't fit it due to physical restrictions, it cannot say in the criteria however that women in general aren't allowed to do that job. And if it comes down to the choice between a qualified woman and a lesser qualified man, the obvious choice is the woman!

Yes, there's a lot of change happening and it is for the better! Still miles to go though as women get discriminated in their professional life every day, in every country!

There is one simple fact that will always hold a woman back, and that's she is the one who has the babies , until that changes woman ( or most of them) will always be discriminated against.....

So, you think there will be a time when women don't have the babies? ie, test tube fertilization and then an incubation clinic for 9 months?

No, I was making the point it is never going to happen...due to the fact woman will always be the ones who have the babies...