INCLUSIVE POLICING
EQUALITY IS EVERYONE’S BUSINESS
New strategy puts equality at the centre of every police career
For many police officers, “equality” is still seen as something abstract – a policy document, a protected characteristic, or an issue that only matters if something goes wrong. But the reality is far more immediate. Equality affects how you are treated when you are injured on duty, when you need flexibility, when you are a victim or witness at work, and when forces make decisions that shape your entire career. That is why the Police Federation of England and Wales has launched a new, organisation-wide equality strategy – designed not as a statement of intent, but as a practical framework to protect members, challenge unlawful behaviour, and stop the same mistakes being repeated time and time again. At the heart of that work is Hayley Aley,
who took up the role of equality lead in September last year. Her focus is clear: move equality out of silos, embed it across everything the Federation does, and make sure members feel confident that support is there long before issues escalate to crisis point.
“Equality is not a niche issue and it is not a strand of work that only applies to some officers,” Hayley said. “From the moment you are attested, through your entire service and beyond retirement, equality affects you. Our strategy recognises that – and makes it everyone’s responsibility.”
“We see the same discrimination happening again and again, sometimes in the same force, sometimes for the same reason,” she explained. “Cases are settled behind closed doors, non-disclosure
“From the moment you are attested, through your entire service and beyond retirement, equality affects you. Our strategy recognises that – and makes it everyone’s responsibility.”
FROM FIREFIGHTING TO PREVENTION For too long, equality issues in policing have been dealt with at the sharp end – often through employment tribunals, judicial reviews and long, damaging legal battles. While the Federation will always fight to win those cases for members, Hayley is clear that the system itself has to change.
28 | POLICE | FEBRUARY | 2026
agreements are signed, and no lessons are learned. That helps nobody – not officers, not forces, and not the public.” Disability discrimination claims have doubled in the last five years and remain the single biggest driver of employment tribunal cases supported by the Federation. In 2021, PFEW handled 124 disability- related claims and there has been a steady increase year on year, up to 259 in
2025. This is a shocking reality in 2025, particularly when so many disabilities are caused or exacerbated by policing itself. “Officers are being discriminated against because of injuries or conditions they’ve developed doing their job. That should never happen – and yet it happens repeatedly. This strategy is about stopping that cycle,” she added. Other categories which have seen an increase include pregnancy and maternity discrimination
claims, starting at eight cases in 2021 and have risen to 20 cases last year. A core pillar of the new approach is a lessons-learned framework, designed to hold forces to account, challenge unlawful practice, and ensure failures are not simply paid off and forgotten. The Police Federation has also reaffirmed
its commitment to protecting officers who require reasonable adjustments.
Hayley Aley
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42
