Trainee officer sacked over concerns about his hearing ability wins discrimination claim against Met Police

A trainee officer sacked from the Met Police has won a discrimination claim against the force.

Shafi Karim worked as a probationary officer for five before he was dismissed in 2021 after his bosses raised concerns about his hearing abilities.

He was advised to use a Rogers Pen wireless microphone as he could not hear instructions but was made to pay about 30 per cent of the cost of the device and the insurance on it.

However, an employment tribunal in central London found that Scotland Yard should not have required Karim to pay his cost of the device and there was no justification for making him insure it.

Karim joined the Met Police as a probationary officer in 2015 having passed the initial hearing test. A year later, however, his training was paused as he struggled with 'hearing’ and he was referred to the occupational health department of the police force. But he was later posted to Finsbury Park before he became part of an emergency response team.

He complained of receiving 'feedback' if objects came too close to his hearing aids which he said turned police sirens into “torture”.

His dependence on the device also sometimes led him to awkward situations. Once its battery ran out during a police chase test and he had to stop to change it. On another occasion, messages had to be repeated for him. His colleagues also noticed he did not always hear when he was spoken to.

Karim was also told to complete role-play tests to prove his ability to work at an operational level, the tribunal heard.

His period of probation lasted much longer than the usual two years. He was finally dismissed after his bosses felt he was “not capable of becoming a fully operational and effective police officer” and his poor hearing could endanger himself and other officers.

The employment tribunal concluded Karim had been subjected to disability discrimination because of his dismissal.

Referring to the test he failed, employment tribunal judge Jillian Brown said there were less discriminatory ways of achieving “those legitimate aims”, including making reasonable adjustments.

The judge said the trainee officer was put at a substantial disadvantage.

Brown said the police force “should never have required” Karim to pay part of the cost of the hearing aid kit.

Observing that it was the Met was “completely unjustified” for requiring him to insure the hearing aids, the judge said Scotland Yard should have insured the device “in the same way as all other equipment.”

But the tribunal dismissed his other contention that the Met made a 'stereotypical assumption' that his hearing impairment 'rendered him incapable' of doing his job.

It will decide on the compensation at a later date.