TUV MP Jim Allister hopes for 'end to special treatment for LGBT group within the PSNI' after 'climb-down' by police over training

The TUV leader was reacting to a statement from the PSNI, which said that the proposed training was "exclusionary" towards straight people, and was not conducive to "creating a positive 'one team' environment".

It comes after days of coverage of the issue, which has featured prominently in the News Letter and the BBC's Nolan Show.

It all began when an email was sent to officers from the PSNI's LGBT+ Network.

This is one of several “staff networks” representing minority groups within the PSNI.

It gets £2,500 a year from the PSNI's Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Unit and its stated aim is to make all officers and admin staff "feel that they can be their true self at work" and to "create an inclusive atmosphere that permeates throughout the entire organisation".

The email it sent had said that it was preparing revision notes and classes for officers who were due to sit promotion exams - but that "you MUST identify as LGBT+" to avail of them.

Mr Allister challenged the police over this, saying it had "corrupted" its own processes for promotion, because "all applicants should be on an equal footing".

Today the PSNI issued a statement which said: "The police service senior executive team acknowledges concerns raised following last week’s email from the LGBT+ Network regarding the provision of promotion study groups."

It quoted Assistant Chief Officer Clare Duffield, the force's "head of people and organisational development", as saying: "The email's stated criteria was exclusionary.

"It was not agreed by PSNI leadership and is not reflective of our organisational ethos of inclusion, and of creating a positive 'one team' environment.

"We have been in contact with the Equality Commission and have engaged directly with the Network.

"We now understand that the initiative, as outlined in the email, will not be taken forward.

"We continue to encourage learning and development activities for all staff and officers as they progress in their careers and prepare for promotion opportunities.”

Mr Allister responded: "Having been the only public representative to publicly challenge the PSNI on the planned training for LGBT officers to assist them in promotion examinations, I welcome the climb down on the issue which we have learned of today."

But he wondered how the scheme was "ever permitted to get off the ground in the first place".

"Is there a culture within the PSNI which fears challenging the LGBT Network on anything?" he added.

"Hopefully this sorry episode will mark the end of special treatment for the LGBT Network or indeed any group within the PSNI.”

The latest PSNI figures, up to June 2024, indicate that 3.2% of officers identify as gay or bisexual.

Meanwhile the 2021 Census found that 2.1% of NI's population identified as gay, bisexual, or “other”.