Suffolk Police Federation supports officers in successful Employment Tribunal outcome

9 January 2026

Suffolk Police Federation have supported two officers this week in a successful Employment Tribunal.

The Tribunal handed down its judgment today in favour of the officers. The case, which has been ongoing since Tuesday (6 January), surrounded claims that two male officers had been displaced from a proactive policing team to make way for two female officers.

Evidence during the hearing told how Suffolk Constabulary was attempting to ‘rebalance’ the gender composition of the team.

The court heard that the proactive team in question was made up entirely of male officers at the time. A female officer had previously been part of the team but left by choice to pursue an alternative role. The vacant post was not filled, nor was a female sergeant recruited when the opportunity arose. Instead, the Force later decided to remove two male officers from the team, reassign them into new roles and then replace them with two female officers, citing 'operational reasons linked to gender balance'.

The Employment Tribunal, which concluded today (Friday 9 January), found that the two officers had been subjected to unlawful direct discrimination on the basis of gender, a protected characteristic under equality legislation. The Tribunal heard evidence that the decision-maker was aware the action was discriminatory and had been advised of this by Human Resources, yet chose to proceed regardless.

Full-time Suffolk Police Federation representative and equality lead Emma Arthurs, who has been supporting the two members, said the Federation was disappointed that matters had escalated to the point of an Employment Tribunal.

“This case should never have reached this stage,” she said. “However, Suffolk Police Federation exists to represent all of its members, and when members feel they have been directly discriminated against, we will support them and ensure their voices are heard.”

Emma stressed that while the outcome was positive for both officers in question, this is not an opportunity to ‘attack the Force’ but instead work collaboratively with senior managers to improve the working environment for members.

She continued: “We always want to work constructively with Suffolk Constabulary to help it be as efficient, fair, and effective as possible. Good corporate governance and robust decision-making are at the heart of that.”

The Tribunal highlighted a clear lack of record-keeping and governance around the decisions made by the force, which the Federation believes is an important learning point for the future.

“This case demonstrates why transparency, accountability, and proper processes matter,” Emma added. “We welcome discussions with the Force going forward to ensure that lessons are learned and that similar situations can be avoided.”

The two officers, who remain anonymous, expressed their gratitude for the support they received throughout the process. Suffolk Police Federation provided full legal representation and ongoing welfare support from the outset.

“This decision sends a clear message to our members,” Emma Arthurs said. “We are here to represent you, to stand up for you when something is wrong, and to ensure fairness for all. Discrimination, of any kind, has no place in policing."