Judge Rules in Favor of Officers in Racial Discrimination Case Against Thames Valley Police

In a significant ruling, a judge has determined that three white police officers were unfairly denied promotions due to their race. Detective Inspector Phillip Turner-Robson, Inspector Graham Horton, and Custody Inspector Kirsteen Bishop filed a complaint against Thames Valley Police, alleging that their race as 'white British' was a factor in their exclusion from a promotion opportunity. The tribunal revealed that a superintendent at the force was instructed to prioritize diversity in senior staff appointments, leading to the controversial decision to promote an Asian sergeant without a competitive selection process. The tribunal heard that the three officers, who had dedicated between 19 and 26 years to the force, were not allowed to apply for the detective inspector position. Despite expressing interest in the role, DI Turner-Robson was informed that Sergeant Sidhu would be appointed directly to the position without any advertisement or competitive assessment. This decision was made by Superintendent Emma Baillie, who acted on directives from Deputy Chief Constable Jason Hogg, despite warnings about the legal implications of bypassing a fair selection process. Employment Judge Robin Postle concluded that the actions of the police force amounted to direct racial discrimination against the three officers. He emphasized that the superintendent's decision to appoint Sergeant Sidhu without a competitive process disadvantaged the white officers and constituted positive discrimination, which is not a legitimate means of achieving diversity goals. The ruling highlights the complexities surrounding diversity initiatives within law enforcement agencies.