Bishop Sarah celebrates women in the Met at Westminster Abbey service

In 1919 women appeared in police uniforms for the first time at a service, also at Westminster Abbey, to remember the police officers who had died in the First World War.

To mirror this, around 2,000 serving and retired police staff attended the thanksgiving service at the Abbey to reflect on the achievements and sacrifices female officers have made since.

Twelve of the Met’s serving female officers wore replica 1919 uniforms.

The Bishop of London spoke at the service about the changes women have seen in the last century in both the church and the police force and praised the role women have played in the Met Police.

Bishop Sarah used the analogy of the body, found in 1 Corinthians to describe the church, to describe society: “In the bible, the image of the body is used for the community of the church, but it does well for the wider community. The body is made up of many parts, all are interdependent but not the same – each part has a different role to play.

“Without one part of the body, the whole suffers. The image reminds us that each part of the body needs to be motivated by charitable love, seeking the health of the body rather than one’s own glory – there is no more excellent way.

“Your role does not only contribute to the health of the Met but also the health of the community.”

A service at Westminster Abbey was also held, marking a centenary of police…