by Essex Police in England have put a spotlight on a 180cm tall female recruit described as ‘autistic and dyslexic’, assuring the public she can hold her own against attackers.
In a glowing profile piece highlighted Taking to social media, Essex Police said that “(when it comes to breaking stereotypes,” Police Officer Lauren Hooper “wants to shatter the alleged ‘glass ceiling’).
“People always have this idea of ​​what a police officer should look like,” PC Hooper is quoted as saying, probably alluding to historical minimum height requirements for police officers, which have now been abolished.
“But I assure you, even as a 5ft5 woman – I can hold my own. People always assume you have to be at least 1.80m tall to keep up with training, but I’ve never had a problem defending myself,” she claimed.
“I’ve trained with people of all shapes, sizes and backgrounds – when it comes to taking down an attacker, we will do everything in our power to protect you.”
“People always have this idea of ​​what a police officer should look like. But I assure you, even as a 5ft 5 woman – I hold my own and when it comes time to take down an attacker we will do everything in our power to protect you.” Meet our newest collaborator: https: //t.co/XfrBIu5UO7
— Essex Police (@EssexPoliceUK) February 28, 2023
The teenage officer also described herself as “autistic and dyslexic” and admitted she sometimes thought she’d never make it into the police force – even though her father Stuart Hooper is Chief Superintendent, and her grandfather and great-grandfather also serve in uniform.
“Neurodiversity always has its challenges in life, of course, but I was still able to train, pass the tests and even became one of the drill leaders in the passers-by parade, which was a proud moment for my whole family,” PC Hooper revealed, saying that the college, where she was trained was “a safe place”.
“Never let being neurodiverse stop you from achieving your goals. Essex Police have given me massive support throughout this journey and helped me through any challenges I had along the way,” she told other potential recruits.
She has ambitions, including maybe joining the Force Hate Crime Unit and “breaking up the ranks and becoming a leader,” like her father.
Bangladeshi migrant arrested for raping Italian policewoman in Naples https://t.co/lmwO6pEBT6
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) October 22, 2022
Despite their protests, some social media users have expressed skepticism about how well the relatively small teenage girl might fare in a physical fight with a violent male criminal.
“I had to attack someone in rugby who was running in front of two policewomen who were laden with stab vests and gear they had to wear, they didn’t stand a chance against a young man running from them,” one claimed.
“I don’t doubt their commitment, but sometimes the biological reality has to be considered,” they added.
“She would be easily subdued by almost any man,” claimed another, while a third user said he was “really concerned for her safety.”
Female officers have sometimes struggled to describe male criminals in the past, in a viral incident in 2018 in which three female police officers in Sweden were defeated with relative ease in a physical altercation with an immigrant arsonist.
The shortest policewoman in Britain that year was said to be PC Sue Day, a 4ft 10in officer serving in Swindon.
Watch: Asylum seeker attacks three Swedish policewomen https://t.co/64KNKr9Yt5
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) April 4, 2017
