Police Scotland urged to improve equality and diversity training

Rhona Malone was a police firearms officer

Police Scotland must significantly improve training around equality and diversity, a review has said.

The review was ordered after ex-firearms officer Rhona Malone - who had raised concerns about sexism - was paid almost £1m after an employment tribunal found she had been victimised.

The review was carried out by the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

The PSNI concluded that training should be focused on areas of policing where there is a "boys' club" culture.

Police Scotland said progress on the recommendations would be reported to the Scottish Police Authority.

Ms Malone, who was based in Edinburgh, first raised concerns about sexism within the force in 2018.

She had received an email written by Insp Keith Warhurst saying two female firearms officers should not be deployed together when there were sufficient male staff on duty.

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When she alerted bosses to her experiences, she was offered a small payout on the condition she signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) to stop her speaking out.

Ms Malone - who was described as having an "exemplary record" - refused and ended up taking her case to an employment tribunal.

The PSNI review into the case said the key areas for future Police Scotland training were "in relation to equality/diversity and dignity".

It said it had to be made clear that breaches of the training, and standards of professional behaviour, would not be tolerated - and that this could lead to "misconduct/disciplinary sanction including, but not limited to, dismissal".

'Wholly inappropriate'

The report said these were areas which had to be explored in removing the "boys' club culture" from the organisation.

The review made specific reference to Insp Warhurst's email about female firearms officers, in which he had said: "I am going to plunge in with both feet and open myself up to being accused of being sexist."

It described the contents as "wholly inappropriate" and said they demonstrated "the lack of respect towards female colleagues".

The review added: "Comments such as this are not becoming of police officers, let alone senior management."

It has now recommended refresher training on:

• Diversity and inclusion for Insp Warhurst

• Standards of Professional Behaviour for senior management

• Grievance Standard Operating Procedure

There is also a reminder that a failure to comply with these procedures may lead to disciplinary or misconduct action, up to dismissal.

It has also called for an assurance that future mediation is concluded only by trained mediators and that, when welfare reasons are cited, managers must provide support and follow up with medical evidence.

In 2020, Ms Malone told the BBC that she took her case to a tribunal because she wanted acknowledgement and accountability for the way she had been treated.

She said she would have been "an absolute hypocrite" if she had signed the NDA.

The tribunal ruled in her favour in October 2021, with the £947,909.07 payout confirmed in May this year.

The former officer described winning her tribunal as "vindication" but said Police Scotland had put her through "absolute hell".

Police Scotland said Chief Constable Iain Livingstone had personally apologised to Ms Malone for the serious issues highlighted in the tribunal.