THAMES Valley Gay Police Association, the winner of this year’s Police Review Diversity in Action Award, has worked tirelessly to promote equality and combat homophobia in the service and the community, findsCaroline Craig.
Thames Valley Police has commended its Gay Police Association as a ‘dynamic group of committed and passionate individuals who have made a significant contribution to the cultural inclusion of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities’. They have now wonPolice Review’s 2011 Diversity in Action award.
Sgt Kelly Reed, chairwoman of the association which was set up in 2007, is supported by Sgt Felicity Parker, PC Martin Duckett, Sgt Rachel Page, PC Karen Lorenzo and Nick Deane. Over the past year, the association’s network has grown to more than 200 members of Thames Valley Police officers and staff.
Community minded
It was the first diversity team in the force to set up a Twitter account, which it uses to publicise anti-homophobic messages and promote community and network events, such as a seminar on combating homophobic hate crime and an event entitledIn or out – does it really matter?, which was held in May on the international Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia.
‘In an ideal world, the association would not need to exist, but we are not quite ideal yet and so we still have work to do,’ says a team spokesman.
It has introduced a new system for specially trained officers to call out a member of the association if they are responding to a sexual assault or rape involving a lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender victim. Twenty individuals across the force work on a rota to provide on-call advice.
‘The Thames Valley Police Gay Police Association are role models and good ambassadors for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender staff and officers,’ says the force.
‘These actions and initiatives have contributed to the cultural evolution within the organisation, which in turn has positively impacted on external perceptions of the force by those who need support through the provision of policing services, either as a victim or witness of crime, as well as members of the public wishing to join the service.’
Far-reaching work
The work of the team has been felt throughout the community in Thames Valley. The association has run training sessions for the staff of Bracknell Forest Council to raise awareness of issues within the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, and has worked with the Crown Prosecution Service to run a homophobic hate crime seminar at Oxford Brookes University.
Buckinghamshire New University describes the association as ‘inspirational’ in helping to set up a staff network and raise awareness of gay issues.
Janice Haynes, the chief executive of Citizens Advice Slough, says: ‘The Thames Valley Gay Police Association has been responsible for bringing the rights of gay and lesbian people to the forefront of this community, highlighting hate crime at public meetings and presenting at equalities forums. It is a great example of authority leading by example and one we hope makes things a little better for those who feel unable to express themselves.’
Thames Valley Gay Police Association has identified the ‘urgent need’ to promote an anti-homophobic bullying campaign in local schools and in the nomination papers said it would use the £5,000 bursary to fund a short film of young people re-enacting homophobic, bi-phobic and transphobic bullying scenarios. It will also feature victims of homophobic crime and will be circulated to all schools in the area.
Award judge Julie Nesbit, of the Police Federation of England and Wales, says: ‘I was extremely impressed by the holistic approach Thames Valley Police Gay Police has taken both to dealing with crime against the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community community and also to raising awareness throughout Thames Valley.’
Irene Curtis, vice-president of the Superintendents’ Association, says: ‘The energy, dedication and commitment that the Thames Valley Gay Police Association has given to raising awareness of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues and supporting not only colleagues, but also individuals and groups within their communities has been amazing. They can be proud of their achievements and are worthy winners.’
http://www.policereview.com/news/gala-awards/fighting-for-fairness