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Custom-made Hijab now ready for our Muslim Policewomen

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Wellington, January 30, 2021

The custom-made Hijab as a part of the uniform for New Zealand Policewomen (Police Picture)

After more than a year of tailoring and rigorous stress-testing, New Zealand’s Muslim Policewomen now have a custom-made Hijab as a part of their uniform.

Police and design experts from Massey University developed the garment, and it has attracted international attention with a UK Police District trialing the new Hijab.

Inspector Braydon Lenihan told Checkpoint that the idea got momentum from staff at a careers day in 2018.

“They were getting questions from young Muslim women as to why there was no Hijab as a part of the uniform, and that they would be considering a career in the Police but that was something that was holding them back.

“So, clearly having heard that we started to look around. We looked internationally as to what was available for other police departments and found that actually there was nothing. Women of Muslim faith were having to actually provide their own. We thought this was a bit of a gap and a bit of an area where we could probably be leaders in this space,” he said.

Massey University School of Design played a key part in developing the Hijab.

Fit and Functional

“We developed other parts of uniform for the New Zealand Police and having that experience, we knew that we had to have something that was comfortable, had good fit and functionality… but also that somebody could wear that was comfortable for them for a long duration of time… maybe even a 12-hour shift.

“What came out of that was the material we settled on – a quite a light sports-type material that’s moisture wicking, cutting edge in terms of its design and how form-fitting it is for the person, and also some safety features in there to look after our people,” Mr Lenihan said.

He said that if an Officer is involved in an altercation that involves the Hijab being pulled from their heads, if that fastening is too secure, it might not give, and unfortunately that becomes either a choking or dragging risk for Police Officers.

The Safety Factor

“So, in terms of the clasping mechanism and the release mechanism for that, that was quite key for us in terms of our officers’ safety,” Mr Lenihan said.

He said that the Hijab was tested by several female officers at Police National Headquarters to test for fitness and functionality. They were not Muslim women but were able to give feedback on how well prototypes fitted.

“Following that we sent it out to the Royal NZ Police College. Some female defensive tactics trainers actually wore it while they were training… and really putting it through its paces. The Hijab is now an official part of the NZ Police uniform. Females of the Muslim faith, if they choose to wear the Hijab, it is available for them. It is an approved official piece of New Zealand Police uniform,” Mr Lenihan said.

Interest in United Kingdom

After putting out a press release showing the new item of Police uniform, the United Kingdom’s Leicestershire Muslim Police Association said they were keen to try the Hijab.

“We have been in conversations with them to see how we can provide for their needs and put them in touch both with my team and also the team at the Massey School of Design around the requirements. We sent three more Hijabs in the Leicestershire black, the colour of their uniform. There is already one Hijab over there being worn by a trainee constable,” Mr Lenihan said.

“I think whenever you can provide something that enables a section of the community that has previously felt like they couldn’t be part of the New Zealand Police, or be part of their community, I think to be able to do that is pretty special,” he added.

-Published under a Special Agreement with www.rnz.co.nz
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