Lesbian police officer barred from working with partner
October 30th, 2009
A lesbian police sergeant who was not allowed to work on the same shift as her girlfriend has accused her police force of institutional homophobia in a tribunal.
Police sergeant Jasmine Stewart asked if her partner Mhairi Gilchrist could join her team at Ashford Police Station, part of the British Transport Police. Her request was refused on the grounds that it was inappropriate for a couple to work together.
According to Stewart, her superior Inspector Terry Reene told her: “People here wouldn’t like it, you two being a couple.”
In the tribunal Stewart said that there were many examples of straight couples working together in the British Transport Police, and so she believes she was discriminated against because she was in a same-sex relationship.
“I have worked with a number of officers in the British Transport Police who are partners, who are supervisory and subordinate and that works very well,” said Stewart. “They just happened to be heterosexual.”
The police force reversed its decision after Stewart said she would start a grievance procedure.
However, Stewart has now brought a sexual discrimination case against the force, stating that she and her partner have been subjected to hostility and bullying from other officers since the couple started working together.
“There were comments made on a daily basis like ‘I don’t know why you want to go to one of those meetings - it’s for the poofs’,” said Stewart.
Stewart also claims that she and her partner have been the butt of jokes about their sexuality.
As well as frequent remarks, Ms Stewart, formerly with Sussex Police for nine and a half years, claimed she and her partner were the butt of jokes about their sexuality.
Benjamin Uduje, representing the police force, said other officers had always been aware of and accepted Jasmine Stewart’s sexual orientation.
The hearing continues.
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