Independent review into Diversity, Equality & Inclusion at Thames Valley Police uncovers failings that led to landmark race discrimination case.
Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Barber commissioned the independent review in October 2024 following the employment tribunal, which ruled in favour of three white officers in their claims of race discrimination by the force
Publishing the report, PCC Matthew Barber said: “Thames Valley Police was found to be wrong when making an appointment for a posting in the Priority Crime Team and I wanted to properly understand what happened and how this case fitted in with their general approach to Diversity, Equality and Inclusion in the force.
“The findings show that mistakes were made and that there was a lack of consistency, information and inclusion in the way policies were applied, leaving parts of the organisation feeling left out and overlooked. Due regard should be given to all staff. A wide range of recommendations focuses on key areas of central oversight, training, better alignment with relevant bodies, internal communications, internal recruitment and career advancement programmes. These, if implemented, will go a long way to address the issues identified”.
The report is clear that the leadership of Thames Valley Police advocates for equality in all its forms and found that there were no concerns regarding the conduct of the senior officers involved. However, it strongly questions the processes and governance of the Positive Action Progression Programme (PAPP) and how that led to the loss of the employment tribunal, in turn creating uncertainty and divisions among colleagues in the force, which internal communications did not properly address. It also notes a national lack of specific training for police forces in some relevant areas such as equalities legislation.
“Inclusivity for all based on merit”
Author Kerrin Wilson QPM said: “The creation and activation of the PAPP programme, designed to enable and encourage officers from an ethnic minority background to develop their skills and abilities to an extent that they were ready for future promotion opportunities, was the crux of this case. The programme itself was not properly consulted upon or transparent in how it was managed.
The direct posting of an individual into a specialist role led to parts of the organisation feeling excluded and was deemed by the tribunal to be positive discrimination rather than positive action.”
The recommendations cover wider issues as part of the review to ensure that there is a robust response to the findings. These include a need for clarity on sections of the Equality Act 2010 to avoid positive discrimination when an employee is treated more favourably because of their protected characteristic(s).
Key recommendations cover areas such as getting buy-in from the whole organisation for diversity initiatives and utilising existing networks and schemes already established. It also highlights the importance of Equality Impact Assessments, management and other staff training, reviewing internal selection and recruitment processes and striving for parity in how different staff groups are treated.
“This review marks an important point in time for the force to look at how it operates in the complex world of creating a fairer police force for all, giving opportunity to those who would otherwise be disadvantaged without creating additional barriers of unfairness to the majority population of Thames Valley Police” added Kerrin Wilson in her report.
