Police officer replaced by police employee
The Norwegian government is proposing to replace gendered titles in the justice sector with gender-neutral terms.
Norway's government has announced a proposal to replace gendered titles in the justice sector to promote gender neutrality. This initiative aims to modernize, clarify, and make the legal framework more inclusive. The government plans to use the term 'polititjenesteperson' to encompass both 'politimann' and 'polititjenestemann', which translates to police officer, thereby eliminating gender distinctions in the terminology used within the law.
In a recent press release, the government highlighted the need to update various legal terms to reflect current practices. For instance, the title 'lensmann' has largely fallen out of use, being replaced by 'politistasjonssjef,' which refers to the head of a police station. The proposal seeks to formalize these changes within the law, ensuring that outdated terms are removed from official documents.
Furthermore, the government also suggests replacing the title 'namsmann' with a gender-neutral term. This initiative not only aligns with broader societal movements towards inclusivity but also represents a significant step in modernizing Norway's legal and political language, affirming the government's commitment to equality and contemporary standards.