REPS SPOTLIGHT
A FIGHT FOR RIGHTS: TARIQ’S STORY
Detective in landmark employment tribunal ruling spotlights the importance of forces adhering to the Equality Act, supporting working from home as a reasonable adjustment
Phil Brewster
Tariq Ahmed, a long-serving Met police officer, shared his distressing experience of being subjected to racism, disability discrimination, and neglect by the very institution he served for more than two decades. His story reveals the psychological and physical toll that inadequate management and entrenched discriminatory practices can have on an individual, even within a profession which is meant to uphold justice and fairness. Tariq’s ordeal began in 2021 when, after suffering a heart attack and dealing with long-term health conditions, he was assigned a work-from-home role by the then manager. This arrangement, designed to accommodate his health needs, seemed to be working well. He was
26 | POLICE | OCTOBER | 2024
left alone to focus on his duties and his health started to improve. However, the following year things
started taking a turn for the worse when the new management took over as they
“Racism is very real in the police force. They tolerate you for a
while, but eventually bullying and victimisation begins.”
started insisting on him returning to work from the office. Despite his doctor’s recommendations, medical evidence, and his immediate supervisor’s agreement for making reasonable adjustments, the new management disregarded his condition
and insisted that Tariq could no longer work from home. This decision, which he describes as arbitrary and uninformed, marked the start of his legal battle. Tariq’s experience is a stark example of the deep-seated issues within certain organisations, particularly regarding how ethnic minority officers are treated. Over his 23-year career, he claimed to have repeatedly found himself victimised, bullied, and pushed aside. Despite his vast experience in counterterrorism, fraud, and
other complex areas, he consistently encountered racism and a lack of support from his colleagues and senior management, he further claimed. Speaking to POLICE, Tariq said,
“Racism is very real in the police force.
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