Kent Police has been named one of the most gay-friendly employers in the country in a official list.

The 2010 Stonewall Top 100 Employers index ranked our police as ninth in the UK which is actually a slight drop for the the organisation, as it was ranked fourth in 2009.

Stonewall said that the force has done particularly well to again feature within its top 100 employers, particularly as Stonewall has raised its measure of performance for entrants to the index. They described Kent Police's ranking as demonstrating consistency of commitment.

The force secured its place with a proactive lesbian, gay and bisexual support network, which meets regularly with the Chief Constable and other Chief Officers to discuss relevant issues.

The group also assists with recruitment and retention and is on hand to provide specialised knowledge in specific areas of policing.

In total, 353 employers across the country made submissions to feature in the 2010 Stonewall Top 100 Employers and, of these, 30 were from other police forces. The highest ranked force was Hampshire Police who came second in the overall index.

The top employer was computer firm IBM.

Chief Constable Michael Fuller said: "I value the contribution our gay staff make to the delivery of police services in Kent as I want the force to be recognised as an employer that meets the ever changing needs of our diverse communities."

Martin Meredith, Kent Police's Diversity Manager added: "Regardless of personal background, everyone working for Kent Police makes a contribution to us being recognised nationally as a top employer for gay staff. It demonstrates the sincere commitment of Kent Police to create a reflective workforce and to meet the diverse needs of everyone living, working and visiting Kent."