Current timestamp: 29/01/2023 02:35:50
AgeAlertAnonymousAppealsApplicationsApply Or RegisterArea OutlineArrow DownArrow LeftArrow RightArrow UpAutomatic DoorsBack ArrowBusinessCalendarCashArrow DownArrow LeftArrow RightArrow Down[Missing text '/SvgIcons/Symbols/Titles/icon-chrome' for 'English (United Kingdom)']ClockCloseContactDirectionsDocumentDownloadDrawDrugExpandExternal LinkFacebookFb CommentFb LikeFiletype DefaultFiletype DocFiletype PdfFiletype PptFiletype XlsFinance[Missing text '/SvgIcons/Symbols/Titles/icon-firefox' for 'English (United Kingdom)']First AidFlickrFraudGive FeedbackGlobeGuide DogHealthHearing ImpairedInduction LoopInfoInstagramIntercom[Missing text '/SvgIcons/Symbols/Titles/icon-internet-explorer' for 'English (United Kingdom)']LaptopLiftLinkedinLocal ActivityLoudspeakerLow CounterMailMapMap PinMembershipMenuMenu 2[Missing text '/SvgIcons/Symbols/Titles/icon-microsoft-edge' for 'English (United Kingdom)']Missing PeopleMobility ImpairmentNationalityNorth PointerOne Mile RadiusOverviewPagesPaper PlaneParkingPdfPhonePinterestPlayPushchairRefreshReportRequestRestart[Missing text '/SvgIcons/Symbols/Titles/icon-rotate-clockwise' for 'English (United Kingdom)']Rss[Missing text '/SvgIcons/Symbols/Titles/icon-safari' for 'English (United Kingdom)']SearchShareSign LanguageSnapchatStart AgainStatsStats And Prevention AdviceStopSubscribeTargetTattosTell Us AboutTickTumblrTwenty Four HoursTwitterTwitter LikeTwitter ReplyTwitter RetweetUploadVisually ImpairedWhatsappWheelchairWheelchair AssistedWheelchair ParkingWheelchair RampWheelchair WcYoutubeZoom InZoom Out

Quickly exit this site by pressing the Escape key Leave this site

Skip to main content

Skip to main navigation

Welcome

This site is a beta, which means it's a work in progress and we'll be adding more to it over the next few weeks. Your feedback helps us make things better, so please let us know what you think.

Show me the site

HIOW-Force-logo-2-white ( 1)

Search this website

Main navigation menu

  • Report

    Back to Report

    • Crime
    • Domestic abuse
    • Rape, sexual assault and other sexual offences
    • Road traffic incident
    • Report antisocial behaviour
    • Missing person
    • Fraud
    • Civil disputes
    • Lost or found property
    • Lost or stolen vehicles
  • Tell us about

    Back to Tell us about

    • Tell us about possible terrorist activity
    • How to tell us about something you've seen or heard
    • An existing case or report
    • A procession or event you are planning
    • Filming
    • Abnormal vehicle load
  • Apply or register

    Back to Apply or register

    • Careers
    • Charity collection licences
    • Compensation for victims of crime
    • Firearm, shotgun or explosives certificate
    • Attend a misconduct hearing
  • Request

    Back to Request

    • A collision report
    • Intellectual property (IP) licence
    • Your fingerprints
    • Information: about the police, about yourself or someone else
  • Thanks and complaints

    Back to Thanks and complaints

    • Complaints
    • Say thanks
    • Feedback about the website
  • Your area

Breadcrumb

  1. ...
  2. News

LGBT+ Link Officers celebrate 25 years of supporting Hampshire and Isle of Wight’s communities

Main article content

Navigation

News

13:32 20/05/2022

LGBT+ Link Officer celebration event.jpg

Hampshire Constabulary’s LGBT+ Link Officers have celebrated their 25th anniversary of building bridges with our diverse communities in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. 

Many of the force’s 90 link officers were present at the event in Eastleigh on Wednesday (18 May), which saw past volunteers of the scheme also attend.

One of the organisers of the event was Kirsten Troman. She joined the scheme when it was in its infancy 24 years ago and she was one of the first openly gay women in the force.

Now, she is a chief inspector and co-lead of the LGBT+ Link Officers and the force’s LGBT+ Resource Group.

Speaking at the event, she said: “Being an LGBT+ Link Officer for me means pushing to create a more even playing field for our LGBT+ communities: getting people support that is right for them.

“You should all be very proud to deliver for one of the force’s longest-standing inclusion schemes and one of the country’s first LGBT+ networks in policing.”

Founded in 1996, the service was one of the first of its kind in the country and began out of working with gay men’s sexual health services to provide more specialist support to this community.

Initially known as ‘community contact officers’, the role quickly expanded to work with a variety of LGBT+ communities and by 1999 there were 16 officers in the service.

Since its inception, the purpose of the role has largely remained unchanged: police officers and staff who volunteer to join the scheme undergo additional training around LGBT+ issues and their role is to build trust, confidence and engagement with the police in these communities, support LGBT+ victims of crime and encourage the reporting of hate crime.

Dr Clifford Williams, a historian and former police officer who joined Hampshire Constabulary in 1987, has been researching the force’s ties to the LGBT+ communities and spoke at the celebration event.

In 2007, officers were able to march in uniform at pride events for the first time – and Dr Williams, then a chief inspector, joined his colleagues in the Brighton Pride parade that year.

He recalled: “It was such a magical day that I will never forget. It was so exciting, particularly all the cheering as we went past.

“I would have never believed when I started my career that I would be able to do that.”

Chief Inspector Scott Johnson, who also leads the LGBT+ Link Officers, is a trustee for Beyond Reflections, a mental wellbeing charity for trans, non-binary and questioning adults, and invited their CEO Andi Maratos to speak at the celebration.

Andi said: “The relationship we have with the LGBT+ Link Officers, and having Scott as a trustee, is massively impactful for us. It continues to break down those barriers between trans people and police, and helps the people we work with know they have a safe person to come to for help in the force.”

On 17 May, the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, and to coincide with the anniversary, the scheme was renamed from the LAGLOs to LGBT+ Link Officers, to better reflect the diversity of communities which they serve.

Assistant Chief Constable Paul Bartolomeo is the LGBT+ lead for Hampshire Constabulary. He said: “The work of the LGBT+ Link Officers is so important – it ensures victims have the confidence to come forward, knowing they will be listened to, understood and treated fairly and with respect. It is about building that trust so we act impartially, professionally and fairly, and in doing so bring offenders to justice and protect the public.”

To find out more about how to report hate crime, visit our website here: https://www.hampshire.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/hco/hate-crime/

For more information about Beyond Reflections, visit their website here:  https://chrysalisgim.org.uk/ 

Share

Is there a problem with this page?

Footer navigation

We use cookies on this site to give you a better, more personalised experience.

I'm fine with cookies I'd like to manage the cookies

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary

  • Contact us
  • News
  • Press
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Campaigns
  • Privacy notice
  • Cookies
  • Terms and conditions
  • Accessibility

Information and services

  • Advice and information
  • Crime prevention
  • Stats and data
  • Accessing information (FOI)
  • Report
  • Tell us about
  • Apply or register
  • Request
  • Thanks and complaints

Partners

  • Police.uk
  • Ask the police
  • Police & Crime Commissioner

Follow us on:

© Copyright 2023. All rights reserved.