An Edinburgh authorised firearms officer is taking legal action against Police Scotland – claiming he was unfairly suspended after an “incident” was filmed and posted on TikTok.
Steven Jones, 35, gave evidence at the Edinburgh Employment Tribunal on Monday, June 9 where he is suing on the grounds of sex discrimination.
Mr Jones says his behaviour was branded as “misogynistic” and he suffered detriment due to a fear among Police Scotland management that the armed response unit is perceived as having a “boys’ club mentality”.
READ MORE: Edinburgh crowd gather outside home as man ‘escorted from flat by police’
READ MORE: Edinburgh Leisure staff to receive ‘special police training’ as e-bike yobs run riot
The court heard details of the incident which took place on March 1, 2024. It concerns a video posted to TikTok by Scottish singer Tallia Storm. Footage shows Mr Jones and his partner exiting their marked police vehicle on Edinburgh’s Cowgate to snap a photo with Ms Storm. Mr Jones can be seen taking the photograph while his partner poses with the media personality.
The court heard that Mr Jones’ superiors “chastised” him following the incident. Mr Jones claimed they described his conduct as “mysogynistic”. The officer also said he was criticised following the public’s “negative” response to the TikTok and for parking the police vehicle on a road with “heavy” pedestrian and vehicle traffic.
Mr Jones believed he was punished due to “past instances of misogyny” in the firearms unit, which he felt constitutes sex discrimination. He claimed senior management at Police Scotland were wary the armed response unit is perceived as having a “lads’ mentality”.
He said: “Because of the word “misogyny,” it made me feel it was because I as a male interacting with a female that it was viewed through that lens. If a member of the other sex had that interaction, it wouldn’t have happened.”
Advocate Mr Terence Merck, representing Mr Jones, made reference to a prominent case where female firearms officer Rhona Malone was paid nearly £1m after an employment tribunal found she had been victimised on the basis of sex by Police Scotland. Mr Jones believed Ms Malone’s case informed the reason his behaviour was branded as “misogynistic”.
Mr Jones added: “It really surprised me. I was extremely upset and shocked because I knew I had to disclose to my partner what I had been accused of and explain to my family.”
On March 1, 2024 Mr Jones and his colleague were on “parliament duty”, requiring them to patrol the streets surrounding Scottish Parliament including the Cowgate and Grassmarket. While driving on Cowgate, the pair encountered a large crowd of pedestrians. Mr Jones, who was driving, slowed the vehicle to assess whether the scene required intervention. He claimed he then noticed Ms Storm in the crowd.
Mr Jones said: “I knew who she was due to the publicity and her being the capital DJ host at the time. She was on the side of trams and buses.”
He and his partner exited their vehicle – which housed firearms inside a locked compartment – for around one minute. Mr Jones added: “It could’ve been less than that.”
The officer claimed Ms Storm was “ecstatic” by the photo op and stated: “There was no rude behaviour or catcalling. I present myself courteously and was calm in the situation. We engaged in conversation to ascertain that a Q&A was being held. It looked like she was making her way over. We very quickly introduced ourselves, it was a polite interaction.” The officer also said he and his partner continued to maintain security of their vehicle during the incident.
Mr Jones claimed he later faced suspension, a sanction he felt was not commensurate to his actions.
He said: “It is our job to engage with people. We don’t police with fear, we police by good interactions with the public. The last thing I’d ever want is the public to fear the police and to fear me. I always speak to people as a human being. I meet them where they are.
Mr Jones joined Police Scotland in March 2017. In June 2023, he completed authorised firearms officer training. The court heard of his ambition to become a national firearms instructor and how Mr Jones claimed he was repeatedly nudged to pursue a role in counterterrorism. However, since the incident the officer said he has been demoted to an office role dealing with “low-level daily calls” whereas he was formerly tasked with “very high risk incidents” with “very high levels of decision making” on the firearms unit.
The five-day proceedings began on Monday, June 9 and are presided over by Employment Judge Amanda Jones. The tribunal continues.
Join Edinburgh Live’s Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages.