Above Ch Insp Haynes
A senior police officer has told an employment tribunal that he was "victimised" because he is dyslexic.
Ch Insp Phillip Haynes, 42, of Gloucestershire Police, says he was passed over for promotion after he raised the condition with his bosses.
Mr Haynes claims a letter detailing extra time he needed to pass his superintendent exam prejudiced the promotion board against him.
The force told the hearing in Bristol that they had tried to help Mr Haynes.
Victoria von Wachter, representing Gloucestershire Police, said the force had done a lot to assist Mr Haynes during the selection process.
'Not fit'
Mr Haynes, of Newnham-on-Severn, said he first became aware that he might have been dyslexic when he was 12.
After twice failing the interview stage for promotion to inspector, he sought help from a dyslexia expert who wrote to Gloucestershire Police asking for special allowances to be put in place for Mr Haynes in his day-to-day duties and in future interview situations.
Mr Haynes said he thought this communication "caused the [promotion] board members to decide that I was not fit to be a senior police officer".
He said he felt "victimised" after his next promotion application was failed at the paper application stage.
He was also unhappy at subsequently being moved from being an acting superintendent back to being a chief inspector.
The former soldier, who joined the county's constabulary in 1989, said: "I have found my treatment to be extremely distressing."
The hearing continues.
Source: BBC
1 comment:
Gloucestershire Constabulary were also found guilty in December 2008 for Disability Discrimination.This was against a female Dyslexic Sergeant who had served with them for over twenty years. Her tribunal did not appear in the national press, but goes to support Chief Inspector Phil Haynes claim that Gloucestershire Police are not positive towards disability although they like to promote that they are. The Force Barrister Victoria Von Wachter stated during Chief Inspector Haynes Tribunal, that the force simply had not encountered Dyslexia before. That statement is certainly not true as she had been involved in the female Sergeants preliminary Tribunal hearing in June 2008! Gloucestershire has many Dyslexic serving officers,PCSO's and Police staff. However, the lack of support and ignorance in getting them some extra help leaves a lot to be desired. Dyslexic people amount to at least ten percent of the population. They have a different ability rather than a disability and are employed in all walks of life,including the Police service. There are also many famous Dyslexics. Lets hope that the pain and distress caused to the two officers involved, who were prepared to put their heads above the parapet will lead to lessons being learned and Gloucestershire Constabulary taking a different approach to their discriminatory actions!
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