Police officer sues force after being told he could not bring autism assistance dog to work

23 August 2024, 17:44

An officer is suing Hampshire Police after being told he couldn’t bring his autism assistance dog to work.

Detective Sergeant Matthew Parker told his employers he needed to bring his dog Koda to work to help him with his autism and various other mental health conditions.

However, when he arrived at work with the pet he was promptly turned away and told to return without it, an employment tribunal heard.

DS Parker has worked for the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary since 2004 but is now hoping to take them to court for disability discrimination, claiming three other officers had been allowed to bring their assistance dogs to work.

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The tribunal heard the long-serving officer suffers from autism, ADHD, PTSD, depression and anxiety.

DS Parker first requested to bring his dog to work in December 2021.

His manager at the time, Det Insp Gareth Jones, said he would need to find out if this was possible before granting permission.

Three months later he was told he could not bring Koda to work.

A year later in January 2023, DS Parker contacted human resources to once again request permission to bring his assistance dog to work. He was told further health advice was needed.

Two other officers with Hamshire police, who both suffer from PTSD, have been granted permission to bring their assistance dogs to work, the tribunal heard.

This, however, was reportedly an exception rather than the rule.

Employment Judge Catherine Rayner said: “The fact that some individuals were able to convince the [police] that they should be allowed to bring the dogs in, was an exception to the usual practise of not allowing assistance dogs into the workplace.

“Whilst there was no formal policy there was a practice as indicated by the treatment of [DS Parker] which I am satisfied would also have applied to others.”

DS Parker alleges the police department created a “pressured environment” after being given questions just 30 minutes before an interview for the position of Inspector.

He said: “Anyone with a disability of anxiety is immediately and overwhelmingly at a disadvantage as what is pressure for me will be a crippling and overwhelming mental and physical attack that activates all of my negative characteristics and engages the need to fight, flight, or freeze.”

Judge Rayner concluded that the department did use this process but opted not to give a judgment on its consequences.

A full tribunal is scheduled for a later date.