Homophobia & Hate Crime

Working Together with the Police

There have been significant gains from working together with Wiltshire Constabulary, which is now known for the quality of training its officers undergo in relation to gay issues.

The improvements made to the service gay people receive from the police have been made possible through willingness on both sides to listen, to problem solve, and to come up with workable solutions that enable the Constabulary to respond sensitively to the problems facing local gay people.

As a result, Men's Sexual Health works with the Wiltshire Constabulary by:

chairing the Gay Policing Initiative for Wiltshire.
involvement in stage 5 probationary training, which provides half-day training to probation officers as part of their equal opportunities training (based on national police training standards).
training specialist Gay Liaison Officers (GLOs) during a four day course introducing local policies and codes. By 2005, 150 officers had gone through this training in the county.
representing Wiltshire at the National Advisory Group for Lesbian and Gay Policing, alongside representatives from local authorities, other gay organisations, and police forces. carrying out station visits, regular half-day visits to the stations in the county supporting the work of GLOs, and to explain the role of the service.
membership of an Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) sub-group addressing issues that affect gay communities. The group is tasked with developing national standards for the inspection of forces’ levels of service to the gay community.
advising community safety officers at divisional level on individual cases.
involvement in the design and marketing of protocols and information.
working with 5 Crime and Disorder Partnerships to raise awareness of the issues that affect LGBT communities.