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London Police Services: Friend or Foe?

In the wake of 2 recent and highly publicized attacks on the LGBT community, a debate has come forth as to the support the community can expect from the London Police Services.  The anecdotal evidence from within the community is not encouraging.

While this writer has never had any adverse dealing with our local constabulary, neither have I had reason.  Any dealings I have had have been the result of being in a vehicle accident and I was always dressed male.  However, as I pointed out earlier, such is not the case with others in the community.

The city police realize there is a "problem" and have appointed a diversity officer who for all intents and purposes appears to be very intent on improving relations.  Kudos to the city for that one, but one has to wonder just how much influence is really being handed this gentleman?  The other question this writer has is: What do the officers who are transgendered feel about this?  If a straw poll of other policing organizations is any indication, then the London force has a few closeted members of its own.

A recent encounter with the police by one of the transgender community members was recounted to us and telling us that the two officers involved were overheard making inappropriate if not derogatory remarks regarding the situation.  One has no reason to doubt the community member in this case.  There is nothing to be gained by his exaggerating the truth or even telling a lie.  This incident happened within a week of a visit by the diversity officer to a transgender meeting.  Maybe he was too slow to get the message out or, it fell on deaf ears.

In any event, one has to recognize that police are a paramilitary organization and have a culture of their own.  The "Band of Brothers" is very much a truth and those "brothers" whether male or female have a very chauvinistic attitude that is not friendly toward diversity.  This is a problem not only within the London Police but extends to all level of policing.  Recent history has shown that police culture has grown to "American" standards and the credo of serve and protect is to their own organizations and membership, not to the community.  This has been borne out time and again with news stories of police abuse of power.

Despite the best intentions of our mayor and the deputy chief through pretty speeches, we in the LGBT community do not trust the police.  We have no reason to do so.  It is the police who must prove themselves worthy of trust from not only our communities but the public at large,  It will require a cultural change that must necessarily begin at the top and the message must be sent in no uncertain terms that any officer who violates that trust could find him/herself without a job.  Only then can things change.  Change needs to come, because today, police are not trusted by many in the community.

The question now is whether they have the fortitude to change and serve the public, or whether they will continue to serve their own self interests.  I suspect that in five years from now, nothing will have changed.

Kimberley

October 2009