Police force trial 'Shewees'

Female police officers have tried out ‘Shewees’ – which allow them to spend a penny while catching criminals. Cambridgeshire force chiefs are now considering whether to roll out the portable urinating device to its 380 women officers. The kit is the brainchild of Samantha Fountain, who came up with a white plastic funnel for women to relieve themselves while standing. She brought the idea to TV show Dragon’s Den in 2005 – but the giggling multi-millionaires did not invest.

Feedback from women officers suggests there is “no great need for them” but the force says the move remains under consideration. Samantha, 28, believes the device, which costs £7.50, could help women officers to carry out their duties. She said: “Cambridgeshire police is one of the first forces in the country to trial Shewee. It allows women to urinate while standing and without removing clothes.



“Women can stand up at public toilets and avoid unhygienic seats, or use a convenient container when a toilet is unavailable. It is easy to use, discreet, reusable, lightweight and it fits in a pocket.” The device is available in five colours – bright pink, blue, and white as well as Nato green and desert sand.

The trial was revealed following a Freedom of Information Act request on equipment tested by officers since 2007. Samantha said: “We’re sure it’s going to be a great hit with the women of the Cambridgeshire police.” But Cambridgeshire county councillor Geoffrey Heathcock, the first to declare his bid to run in the election for the county’s first police commissioner, was appalled. He said: “This frankly beggars belief. Surely to goodness when an officer needs a comfort break they take it using conventional facilities.”