A top woman police officer of Indian origin has filed a discrimination lawsuit against Scotland Yard over racism and sexism after she was wrongly accused of breaking rules to get the Queen’s Police Medal.
LONDON – A top woman police officer of Indian origin has filed a discrimination lawsuit against Scotland Yard over racism and sexism after she was wrongly accused of breaking rules to get the Queen’s Police Medal.
Parm Sandhu, 54, who is a temporary chief superintendent, claims she was denied promotions and opportunities at work due to her race and gender. She filed the suit after being cleared in June of gross misconduct over allegations that she breached police honours rules.
According to Sandhu, discrimination was behind the internal probe against her over allegations that she had encouraged colleagues to support her nomination for the medal. Under rules, police officers cannot nominate themselves, contribute to or know about the process.
Sandhu, who joined the force in 1989 and is one of few non-white woman officers at the senior level in Scotland Yard, has filed the suit in the employment tribunal, claiming compensation.
Scotland Yard confirmed that an employment tribunal case had been brought by a senior officer and involved allegations of “racial and gender discrimination”, adding: “At this early stage, we are unable to comment further around defending the claim.”
Sandhu is supported by the Metropolitan Black Police Association, which believes the lack of senior female ethnic minority officers in Scotland Yard is a matter of concern.
The number of Scotland Yard personnel from a non-white background has been increasing in recent years; however, there are few women at senior level. Its head of counter-terrorism is Indian-origin officer Neil Basu, who led investigations in recent terror attacks in London.
