PSNI 'discriminated against officer with beard'

A police firearms officer, suspended from his role for refusing to shave his beard, has said he feels "vindicated" after an employment tribunal ruled he had been discriminated against.

In 2017, the PSNI brought in a new health and safety policy requiring male officers to be clean shaven.

Constable Gordon Downey claimed he had been discriminated against, a view supported by an employment tribunal.

The PSNI said it is aware of the tribunal's findings.

It added that it is currently examining the detail.

Speaking to BBC News NI, Constable Downey said: "To be turfed out of the unit, with little or no notice, for refusal to shave off a moustache, which doesn't affect the equipment I've been issued with, is total madness."

• NI police face tribunal over beard policy

New policies introduced by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) in 2017 resulted in a change regarding officers required to wear respiratory protective equipment (RPE) at short notice as part of their duties.

The updated policy required these officers to "remain clean shaven whilst on duty" for health and safety reasons.

"The policy itself was being enforced against men under health and safety grounds, and yet females within our unit had hair in contravention of the same policy, not facial hair but head hair, where there was a grab risk," Constable Downey said.

"So the policy was being enforced against men and not against female officers."

Unanimous decision

Constable Downey said he tried to be accommodating by shaving his beard to a moustache, but when he was asked to remove that he thought it was a step too far.

"As an older person with a receding hairline and alopecia who is slightly overweight all I can do is grow a bit of fur on my top lip, and to have that removed for absolutely no reason is wrong," he said.

The unanimous decision of the tribunal was that Constable Downey was discriminated against contrary to the Sex Discrimination (NI) Order 1976.

He was awarded just over £10,000 for hurt feelings and loss of earnings.

Solicitor Niall McMullan believes it is a significant ruling

Niall McMullan from Worthingtons Solicitors, who represented Constable Downey, said it was an important ruling.

"This is a significant ruling by the industrial tribunal, because it has essentially declared that the current PSNI policy is discriminating indirectly against males, in as far as the application of the policy is concerned," he said.

"I would like to see serious steps taken by the PSNI in relation to this decision.

"The tribunal were unequivocal in so far as they want the PSNI to review this decision and to ensure it has a less discriminatory effect on not just my client, but all male officers who it is relevant to."