Disability Now Article
NDPA chair Scott Westbrook said the Home Office was treating disabled police officers less fairly than those from other minorities
Disabled cops' grants snub
Lisa McCarthy, December 2006
A national organisation of disabled police officers has received a government grant up to £100,000 less than other minority police groups.
The National Disabled Police Association (NDPA) has been given £31,000 by the Home Office - compared with £140,000 to the National Black Police Association and £100,000 each to the Gay Police Association and the British Association of Women in Policing.
NDPA chair Scott Westbrook said the Home Office was treating disabled police officers less fairly than those from other minorities, just a year after forces became subject to new employment duties under the Disability Discrimination Act.
He said: "I'm not saying these other groups shouldn't get the money. They are deserving causes. It's just that we are too."
Mr Westbrook, a Metropolitan Police sergeant, said the organisation could become just a website without more funding. In addition to grants of £31,000 for 2006/07 and another £31,000 for 2007/08, the NDPA also received a one-off payment of £10,000 last year to help pay for a conference.
Mr Westbrook said: "We desperately need more funding as there's only enough money to pay for me to do this job for five months.
"It's crazy that in three years the NDPA would have received less than the other three get in one year."
A Home Office spokesman said there was "no hierarchy of diversity" when awarding grants and they were talking with the NDPA to "possibly assist with additional funding".
Category: General
Posted: Nov 28, 2006
