Police Scotland has reached a resolution by paying a total of £60,000 to four officers who initiated legal action after being instructed to shave their facial hair. This compensation was granted to four traffic officers who were directed to shave their beards before the implementation of a force-wide clean-shaven policy was officially proposed.
The initial intention of the force was to introduce a policy mandating clean-shaven appearances in May. However, these plans faced a delay due to objections from staff members. The proposed policy aimed to permit officers to wear protective FFP3 masks, which necessitate a clean-shaven face. It would have encompassed local frontline officers, roads policing officers, as well as firearms and public order officers.
Concerns were raised regarding the potential impact of this policy on equality, particularly concerning LGBT and other officers. Assistant Chief Constable Alan Speirs, the individual who initially unveiled the plans, noted that there would have been some exemptions.
The Scottish Police Federation came to the support of the four officers who chose to pursue legal action on the grounds of sex and disability discrimination. David Kennedy, General Secretary of the federation, expressed that the situation could have been handled more effectively. He stated, "They are extremely upset. They've had to go off sick because somebody had told them to shave, which sounds ridiculous but that's the reality of what happened. Right at the beginning we raised this and said there's some of our male colleagues whose families, kids don't even know what they look like without a beard and then you're asking them to change their appearance. It's got far-reaching consequences for them as an individual."
Kennedy emphasized the importance of treating his members as individuals and not just numbers.
It is worth noting that the four officers involved in this dispute signed 90-day non-disclosure agreements regarding their settlements, which is why details have only recently come to light.
Police Scotland has declined to comment on the specifics of these settlements. The force's postponed clean-shaven policy is scheduled for a review in the coming year.
Published: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-67005300
Date Published: Friday 6 October 2023
Image courtesy of: quinet
