Politixia
Colin Sutton, who was elected into the post last week, used his first day in the job to indicate he would be clamping down on the force’s equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) policies.
Mr Sutton, a former Met Police detective chief inspector who also serves as Reform UK’s police and crime advisor, signalled his intent with a message on social media.
He said that looking into the force’s diversity training would be “a good place to start my Norfolk PCC career”.
He made the remark after an investigation found that Norfolk and Suffolk’s constabularies hold more than 100 EDI-related training resources between them.
“My view is that DEI training has not led to an enhancement of police activity, so it’s something I’m looking at,” Mr Sutton said.
“The state of policing generally is very good, but my desire is to try to make the public and police reconnect with each other, and things like this are not helpful to that. It probably works against reconnecting with the public.”
He added that he already raised the issue with Paul Sanford, the county’s chief constable, to ask “if that’s a decent use of officer’s time to be sitting there doing that training”.
Paul Sanford, the county’s chief constable (Image: Newsquest)
The training documents include material relating to “unconscious bias” – training aimed at addressing decision-making shaped by unrecognised prejudice – as well as sessions on “supporting trans and non-binary people at work”, “gender and sexuality skills sessions” and “sexual orientation – what do you look for in an organisation?”
Critics say such courses are a waste of time and money and can give rise to so-called two-tier policing.
Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, has described the equality lessons as a “catalogue of insanity” and “catastrophic waste of money”.
Nick Timothy, the shadow justice secretary, said: “The growth of DEI training in the police, justice system and wider public sector is alarming. Much of this so-called ‘training’, whether on unconscious bias, gender or institutional racism, is pure left wing ideology.”
Concerns have previously been raised about the National Police Chiefs’ Council and College of Policing’s race action plan, which aims to improve policing for black people.
In 2025, it was updated with explicit instructions to treat people from ethnic minorities differently from white people. It told police that equity “does not mean treating everyone ‘the same’ or being ‘colour blind’ (racial equality)”.
THE PCC AND PRIDE
Mr Sutton’s robust position, appearing to challenge the constabulary within days of claiming the post, is in stark contrast to his predecessors’ more muted approach to the £76,000 role.
He also took a swipe at a senior officer in the Police Service of Northern Ireland who said that ending officer participation in Pride events in the area was “the hardest and most difficult thing I have ever been involved with in 25 years of policing”.
Mr Sutton wrote on social media: “Sadly, it very probably was.”
For the second year in a row, Norfolk Constabulary has told its officers they cannot take part in Pride events in the county.
The force made the call last year following a legal ruling that such participation compromised perceptions of police impartiality.
A police spokeswoman said: “Police forces have a responsibility to ensure officers and staff have the knowledge, skills and tools needed to serve and protect the communities they police.
“The training referenced is part of our internal learning and development programme and is aligned to national guidance and professional standards, including those set by the College of Policing.
“Not all of the items listed within the files are training packages. The Learning Management System is a platform to host a range of resources, training packages and signposting to relevant webpages.
“Out of the list of resources, two items are mandatory training for all new starters (officers and staff) and there is an additional third item specifically for officers.”
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