Officers from Hertfordshire Constabulary attended Herts Pride on Saturday, August 31 in support of the county’s LGBT+ community.
Taking place in Watford’s Cassiobury Park, this year saw a record number of officers, staff and volunteers who joined together to celebrate the special day.
The rainbow car, a fully operational patrol vehicle emblazoned with a rainbow design, was also there as a visible reminder of the Constabulary’s support for the LGBT+ community.
Every year the Hertfordshire Constabulary LGBT+ Network organise a group of representatives to host a stall at Herts Pride. The Network exists to support officers on all LGBT+ matters whether they are operational or personal, and this year at Pride they were joined by officers from the Watford Safer Neighbourhood Team, police cadets and the Special Constabulary.
Attendees at Pride were also able to meet the Constabulary’s LGBT+ Liaison Officers, who are based all over the county and are specially trained to support the LGBT+ community.
Their job involves encouraging the community to report homophobic, biphobic and transphobic hate crimes to police and they also give information, advice and support to victims and witnesses of hate crimes.
The Constabulary is committed to supporting the LGBT+ community including both the public and police staff and officers. This year, the Constabulary was ranked 121 out of 445 organisations in the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index which looks at workplace culture for LGBT+ staff.
In a bid to ensure diversity in the Constabulary, officers were on hand to explain the wide-ranging job opportunities and vacancies available.
Inspector Steve Alison, Chair of the LGBT+ Network, said: “The Constabulary should be representative of our wider communities so it was great to see so many people from the LGBT+ community expressing an interest in a career with us.
“Herts Pride is an event we look forward to every year and 2019 didn’t disappoint. We were delighted to be joined by Chief Constable Charlie Hall, Assistant Chief Constable Nat Briant and Chief Superintendent Matt Nicholls, who is the Strategic Lead for Gender Identity and Sexuality.
“It is vital that we show our support for events such as Herts Pride as it helps us to build stronger, cohesive communities and gives a voice to communities that can often be hard to reach.
“Never hesitate to get in touch if you have been the victim of an LGBT+ hate crime. We will always take you seriously and treat you with respect.”
- Reporting hate crime
Hate crimes are crimes like any other, but that have the added distinction that the victim was targeted because of their disability, race, religion, sexual orientation or transgender identity.
Victims and witnesses can report incidents to police without fear via the non-emergency number 101, online at www.herts.police.uk/Report or 999 if a crime is on-going. Victims can be reassured that they will be taken seriously and treated with sensitivity.
For more information about hate crime, including how to report it and where to get support go to www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/hertsagainsthate.
- How to contact an LGBT+ Liaison Officer
LGBT+ Liaison Officers can be reached by calling the non-emergency number 101 or by contacting us online. In an emergency or if a crime is on-going, report it immediately via 999. The support of an LGBT+ Officer can then be requested if required. We will treat what you tell us sensitively and in confidence.
To contact an LGBT+ Officer in your local area for non-urgent advice ring 101 and ask to leave a message for them to contact you.
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