Mrs Kalam was stripped down to her underwear
Former firearms officer Rebecca Kalam has been awarded more than £820,000 after winning a sex discrimination case against West Midlands Police.
Mrs Kalam received £30,000 at an employment tribunal in November 2023.
She has now had a full payout for loss of earnings and her pension.
She said it had been her dream to become chief constable one day.
West Midlands Police’s Deputy Chief Constable Scott Green apologised for the “significant impact” she experienced.
He said: “I am sorry that more was not done sooner to address the serious issues raised by Mrs Kalam and I apologise for the significant impact that these have had on her which has been highlighted during the tribunal.”
It was heard that on one occasion, Mrs Kalam was stripped down to her underwear during a training exercise.
She also told the tribunal that a male officer pushed her down with his foot on the back of her neck while she was doing press-ups, before telling her having breasts “does not mean you cannot do a press-up”.
Mrs Kalam successfully sued the force for harassment, sex discrimination and victimisation, to win £820,720.
The force has now said three serving firearms officers are currently suspended and 10 are in the disciplinary process.
After the original tribunal, Mrs Kalam said in a statement:
“I had the ambition and drive to progress to the senior ranks, up to chief constable, and I was on track to do so.”
She had loved her position and added:
“One of the reasons I stayed on in the department was to try and change the culture from the inside.”
The tribunal panel had unanimously decided to award her compensation.
Paul Odle, of the Metropolitan Police Federation, which has been supporting her, said:
“If we can’t even protect your own from inside the organisation, how can we basically, frankly, be honest and protect the public if that’s how we behave internally?”
West Midlands Police stated that many of the issues date back to 2012 and under new leadership, the firearms department had worked hard to improve culture, standards and the working environment in the past two years.
DCC Green said: “There is no place in policing for misogynistic, discriminatory or disrespectful behaviour and much progress has been made to set and reinforce the highest standards of conduct and professionalism.”
He added that the tribunal acknowledged the force had taken the matters seriously and it continued “to make progress to ensure that we are trusted by the public as we go about our duty to protect them”.
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