Hampshire police's pioneering LGBT+ Link Officer scheme celebrates its 25th anniversary

Many of the force’s 90 link officers were present at the event in Eastleigh, 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.’

On May 17, 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 added: ‘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: hampshire.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/hco/hate-crime.

For more information about Beyond Reflections, the mental wellbeing charity for trans, non-binary and questioning adults, their family and friends, visit chrysalisgim.org.uk.