The Canadian force made the official amendment earlier this year but opted to do so quietly.
As tensions continue to escalate over religious attire, the RCMP has made its stance clear – officially introducing the hijab to its standard uniform policy.
The change – which was privately introduced earlier this year – brings the RCMP’s protocol in line with Toronto Police and Edmonton Police – both of which have already approved hijabs.
"This is intended to better reflect the diversity in our communities and encourage more Muslim women to consider the Royal Canadian Mounted Police as a career option," a spokesman for Canada's Public Safety Minister told the newswire service Agence France-Presse.
Staff Sgt. Julie Gagnon, a spokeswoman for the force, said the RCMP has already developed a specialty hijab for its female members.
“The RCMP-issued hijab has undergone rigorous testing to ensure the design meets the highest standards of officer safety,” she said in a statement.
The move is in stark contrast a number of nations in Europe where officials have begun proposing and implementing measures which restrict the use of religious attire.
In France, a woman was recently fined and forced to remove her “burkini” while on a public beach and Germany recently proposed a burka ban for all schools, universities and public workers.
However, Police Scotland confirmed they had added the burka to their official uniform policy earlier this week and the London Metropolitan Police have included the headscarf for over a decade.
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The change – which was privately introduced earlier this year – brings the RCMP’s protocol in line with Toronto Police and Edmonton Police – both of which have already approved hijabs.
"This is intended to better reflect the diversity in our communities and encourage more Muslim women to consider the Royal Canadian Mounted Police as a career option," a spokesman for Canada's Public Safety Minister told the newswire service Agence France-Presse.
Staff Sgt. Julie Gagnon, a spokeswoman for the force, said the RCMP has already developed a specialty hijab for its female members.
“The RCMP-issued hijab has undergone rigorous testing to ensure the design meets the highest standards of officer safety,” she said in a statement.
The move is in stark contrast a number of nations in Europe where officials have begun proposing and implementing measures which restrict the use of religious attire.
In France, a woman was recently fined and forced to remove her “burkini” while on a public beach and Germany recently proposed a burka ban for all schools, universities and public workers.
However, Police Scotland confirmed they had added the burka to their official uniform policy earlier this week and the London Metropolitan Police have included the headscarf for over a decade.
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Shock report on the cost of motherhood
Two worker deaths at iPhone maker in two days
