Media and Press

Press statement: Judgment on Dowson and others v The Chief Constable of Northumbria Police
Wed 20th Oct 10 - 11:29

Statement on behalf of the six police officers who issued proceedings against the Chief Constable of Northumbria Police under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997.

Stephen Fox, Senior Partner of Ralli Solicitors LLP stated:

We are naturally disappointed that Mr. Justice Simon has ruled that although casting a "long forensic shadow" over the Claimants, the conduct they suffered does not cross the line for actionable harassment.

The case concerned the alleged conduct of a senior officer, DCI Pallas, who headed the elite Crime Team North unit.

Despite the Judge not finding for the Claimants, Mr. Justice Simon did observe that DCI Pallas' conduct, whilst "unacceptable, was not oppressive". The Judge continued that DCI Pallas was "insensitive, belittling and overbearing" and at times "boorish", "on some occasions he was strongly resistant to hearing views which differed from his own"

Mr. Justice Simon noted that the moving of DI Dowson from the elite unit to uniformed duties was "both nonsensical and contrary to the wider public interest. The result of the application of this process was disastrous for Mr. Dowson and for the public interest"

The dysfunctional leadership of Northumbria Police, and the divisions within the force, both illustrated by this case, have done a disservice to the force and the citizens it serves.

The 6 claimants call upon the Northumbria Police Authority and the Chief Constable to fully investigate internal procedures when dealing with conflicts of this type in future. As noted by Mr. Justice Simon "an early and informal mediation in which the parties are allowed to air their views may help to resolve grievances which may otherwise fester". The Claimants agree that such a process may have greatly assisted their situations.

Mr. Justice Simon's judgment provides guidance on these specific allegations, and whether they amount to harassment. As noted by the Judge, these issues were more serious than merely "personality clashes". The internal procedures for dealing with issues of this type have failed.

In a related case, Mr. Dowson has been forced to appeal an internal decision to the Crown Court, seeking a determination that he is permanently disabled from carrying out all the duties of a police officer. He was recently successful in obtaining a referral to a specialist medical practitioner shortly before the final hearing of that matter.

We need a commitment from those in authority to make any new policy work, in order to ensure that other police officers dealing with an ever more stressful working environment do not have a long shadow cast over their careers and lives by issues of this kind.

The claimants would like to thank the Police Federation for their complete understanding and continued support.