A former police community support officer has reached a legal settlement with North Yorkshire Police after being suspended and later barred from policing following comments he made during mandatory diversity training.

Luke Salmons brought claims against the Chief Constable, arguing he had been discriminated against because of his Christian beliefs and that his rights to freedom of religion and expression under the European Convention on Human Rights had been breached.

The case, supported by the Christian Legal Centre, was settled on confidential terms before it reached an Employment Tribunal.

Salmons worked as a Police Community Support Officer but resigned in May 2025 while suspended. He was later dismissed for gross misconduct in July 2025 and placed on the Police Barred List, which prevents him from working in policing.

His legal claims included constructive dismissal, religious discrimination, and harassment under the Equality Act 2010.

At the centre of the dispute was a mandatory 2024 training programme on race, religion and culture. Salmons says he raised questions during the sessions, including about Islam and the conflict in Gaza, and that this later led to disciplinary action.

He also claims trainers repeatedly said “Islam is a religion of peace” during the course. “At that point, it stopped being training and became indoctrination,” he said.

He was subsequently suspended and investigated, and an initial misconduct process found he had made colleagues feel “uncomfortable and unsettled”, according to the appeal outcome.

However, the Chief Constable of North Yorkshire Police, Tim Forber, later overturned that decision on appeal. He concluded that while Salmons had, at times, engaged in discussions during training that made colleagues uncomfortable, this did not amount to gross misconduct.

In his ruling, he said the behaviour fell short of a breach of professional standards and suggested the matter could have been handled through reflective practice instead of formal discipline. He also confirmed that, as a result, Salmons would not be placed on the College of Policing barred list.

Salmons says the experience had a significant personal impact, and he is now working for a Christian charity supporting people experiencing homelessness.

North Yorkshire Police said it respects individuals’ rights to hold personal beliefs but declined to comment further on the settlement.