Three white police officers have won a discrimination claim after an employment judge ruled they were passed over for promotion because of their race.
In an attempt to improve the diversity of its senior staff, a Thames Valley Police superintendent was told to “make it happen” by appointing an “Asian” sergeant to the rank of detective inspector, despite having been warned about the legal risks of not holding a competitive process, a tribunal heard.
Three officers brought employment tribunal proceedings against the force, claiming to have been disadvantaged because of their race – described by the tribunal as “white British”.
Employment Judge Robin Postle said the decision “clearly constituted positive discrimination”.
Det Insp Phillip Turner-Robson, Insp Graham Horton and Kirsteen Bishop, a custody inspector, had been working with the force for between 19 and 26 years when they were blocked from applying for the role, an employment tribunal was told.
