Male police officers given £96,000 payout after they were sidelined for calling out sexism

Two male police officers have been awarded £96,000 after they claimed they were sidelined for raising concerns about sexist attitudes in their force.

The officers, from West Yorkshire Police, claimed they were sidelined in back office roles after blowing the whistle and have received compensation for injury to feelings and loss of overtime.

The two men, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said senior officers displayed sexist attitudes and put themselves and other officers at risk on several occasions. A tribunal in 2015 found they had been victimised by the force.

The men reported that one detective made comments about women in undercover positions, including that they were only good to use "on the arm" of principal male undercover officers and only good for minor roles.

They reported other officers as describing female undercover officers as "fit as f---" and said significant sums of money were spent on clothing and hair products to impress female officers on operations.

The officers, who infiltrated criminal gangs, made a number of complaints about the conduct of managers who they said cancelled an operation to seize firearms; cancelled an order for surveillance equipment; put officers at risk by deploying a surveillance team; and risked health and safety by sending a police officer to an address obtained by covert means.

They said attempts to recover stolen property were dismissed and concern for burglary victims was brushed aside because they "had insurance".

The pair said they believed one manager was drunk while supervising undercover officers. They also made a complaint about an incident in which another officer's life was deemed to have been put at risk when a photograph, sent as part of an undercover operation, was emailed with links back to the police force.

After raising their concerns, the pair were told that it was no longer safe for them to work undercover and were given police staff roles. One has since been redeployed as a uniformed officer while the other has left the force. They have now been awarded damages by an employment tribunal in Leeds.

In a joint statement, the officers said: "The force was like a family to us. We were immensely proud of it and wanted to protect it but never did we imagine that in doing so we would be treated like this.

"Our policing career as we knew it is finished and all because we chose to voice our concerns rather than turn a blind eye.

"The whole experience has been incredibly stressful and upsetting and it has taken its toll on us and our families. At times we felt like both were at breaking point.

"What hurts the most is that there has been no apology, no attempts to address the problems recognised by the tribunal, and that is disappointing to think that lessons haven't been learned, that this kind of victimisation may still go on."

Representing the officers, Jennifer Ainscough, an employment specialist at Slater and Gordon law firm, said: "This has been a hard-fought battle by my clients who have had to endure numerous, lengthy court hearings going over what happened in painful detail.

"It is disappointing that they have yet to receive an apology, but I hope the fact that this was recognised by the tribunal and reflected in the damages awarded will bring them some comfort and allow them to put the ordeal behind them and start to rebuild their lives."

She explained that the officers had effectively been punished for "putting their head above the parapet".

She added that the tribunal would hopefully encourage other officers to have the course to come forward.