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Discrimination case policewoman denies accusations

01 January 1991

Discrimination case policewoman denies accusations
artdoc June=1991

The highest ranked policewoman in Britain has recently denied
charges of misconduct brought against her by her employers, the
Merseyside Police Authority. Alison Halford, 50, assistant
chief constable of the Merseyside police, was accused of
failing to maintain contact with her office, stripping to her
underwear during a life-saving demonstration at the backyard
pool of Tranmere Rovers chairman Peter Johnson, writing an
`extremely offensive' memorandum to her chief constable Jim
Sharples, and tearing up a routine form from the Inspectorate
of Constabulary.
The allegations come in the wake of Miss Halford's
well-publicised sex discrimination case against Home Secretary
David Waddington, her own chief constable, the Inspector of
Constabulary, and Northampton police. Since she moved to the
Merseyside police from the Metropolitan police in 1983, Miss
Halford has been passed up for promotions three times. In
1988, she applied for the position of Merseyside deputy chief
constable and did not even get shortlisted. Jim Sharples was
instead hired for the job and later promoted to chief
constable. Miss Halford then applied for the deputy's job a
second time and again the position was given to a male officer.
Halford's application for a promotion for the Cheshire force
was also rejected.
Miss Halford's case against her employees was due to be
heard by an industrial tribunal this September but has been
postponed until January. In the meantime, a disciplinary
inquiry into the charges brought against her has been launched
by the Police Complaints Authority. (Independent 5.9.90,
8.9.90, 28.9.90 and 29.9.90; Guardian 25.9.90; Times 17.9.90
and 29.9.90; Daily Mail 29.9.90)

IRR Police-Media Bulletin No 64. Institute of Race Relations,
2-6 Leeke Street, London WC1X 9HS