Sussex Police Chief Constable Apologises To LGBTQ+ Community For 'Historical Prejudice'

Wednesday, 26 July 2023 15:38

By Jamie Crow

The Chief Constable for Sussex Police, Jo Shiner, has issued an apology to the LGBTQ+ community in Sussex on behalf of the force for "historical prejudice and ill-treatment".

Police said her letter to the Peter Tatchell Foundation is in response to the force's #apologisenow campaign, which seeks to draw a line under past victimisation, and to boost LGBT+ trust and confidence in the police to report hate crime, domestic abuse and sexual assault.

Ms Shiner said:

"As Chief Constable, I believe it is crucial to address past injustices and acknowledge the harm caused to individuals and minority groups by discriminatory systems, processes and unacceptable behaviours in policing."

"The relationship between the police and the LGBTQ+ community in Sussex has come a long way.

"We have one of the highest proportion of LGBTQ+ officers and staff of any police force in the UK, and enjoy regular and constructive engagement with those in the LGBTQ+ community in Sussex through our network of engagement and liaison officers and through our specialist advisory group.

"I’m proud to lead an organisation where our people, and those we serve, feel respected, supported and protected, whilst accepting there is always more we can do."

The full letter is available to read here.

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