Police officers in Scotland have been given a new "diversity handbook" advising them how to avoid offensive faux pas when dealing with members of the public.
The advice in the 140-page guide includes:-
Do not move people's walking sticks or lean on people's wheelchairs.
Don't finish stutterer's sentences.
Be aware that it is legal for members of the public to wear clothing and accessories of any gender in public so long as their genitals are covered.
Do not to use handcuffs "inappropriately" on people who can only communicate through sign language.
Do not "chew gum, eat sweets, shout, turn away or cover your mouth" when communicating with the deaf.
When encountering someone with a disfigured face, do not ask what happened to them.
It also forbids phrases such as "blind as a bat" and "deaf and dumb", suggesting instead "deaf and without speech".
(It's a shame it didn't include a section on how you shouldn't hit people with sticks and push them over.)