Three police forces in England – Leicestershire, Norfolk and Suffolk – have confirmed they have issued officers who identify as gender fluid with both male and female warrant cards, allowing them to carry whichever identity document matches how they present on a given day. The move has drawn criticism from politicians and campaigners, who argue it undermines public trust and clarity around identification, particularly given guidance that intimate searches must be conducted by an officer of the same biological sex as the person detained.

The practice was uncovered by the Telegraph through Freedom of Information Act requests. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp called for an end to "woke nonsense" and a return to "common sense policing", while Reform UK's Richard Tice branded it "nonsense". The Women's Rights Network said the policy was "concerning and absurd", noting the public understands "nobody is both sexes". The controversy follows last year's UK Supreme Court ruling that "woman" legally refers to biological sex at birth. Leicestershire Police said such cards are issued case-by-case under equality guidance, while Norfolk and Suffolk said they are reviewing policies pending further direction from the National Police Chiefs' Council.