Equality Act 2010

The statute that consolidated and harmonised discrimination law in Great Britain, replacing previous Acts covering race, sex, disability, age, religion, and sexual orientation. It defines nine protected characteristics, prohibits direct and indirect discrimination, harassment, and victimisation, and places a public sector equality duty on all public bodies including police forces. The Act is central to challenges to disproportionate stop and search and other discriminatory policing.

Key Provisions

• Section 4: nine protected characteristics (age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage/civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity, race, religion/belief, sex, sexual orientation)
• Section 13: direct discrimination
• Section 19: indirect discrimination
• Section 26: harassment
• Section 27: victimisation
• Section 149: public sector equality duty (must have due regard to equality)
• Section 29: prohibition on discrimination in the exercise of public functions (applies to police)

Relevance to Policing

Essential for understanding the legal obligations on police forces to act without discrimination, the public sector equality duty, and legal challenges to disproportionate policing.