On May 6, Sussex will elect its Police & Crime Commissioner (PCC), whose role is to hold the Chief Constable to account for the performance of the police. They are also responsible for the local police budget and sets the precept, amount of Council Tax we contribute, to pay for policing. This election was due to take place last year but was postponed because of the pandemic. In the run-up to the election Rory Finn asked all parties where they stand on LGBTQ+ issues. Liberal Democrat Jamie Bennett did not respond.
Trust and confidence with LGBTQ+ communities and the police is at times fragile and easily broken. This is especially the case with trans and non-binary people and LGBTQ+ people of colour. How will the Office of PCC help strengthen links between the two?
Katy Bourne (incumbent) – Conservative
I have absolute confidence in our Chief Constable Jo Shiner and her top team of mostly senior female officers to provide policing for Sussex residents that is rooted in public consent and delivered without fear or favour.
Sussex Police is consistently rated a top employer because of its commitment to diversity and, if re-elected, I fully intend to continue working with Sussex Police to maintain the very highest standards. There is the LGBTQ+ staff association which represents the needs and interests of gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans employees and volunteers within Sussex Police. There is also the Proud Allies group of staff who are not LGBTQ+ themselves but want to show visible support to their colleagues who may be.
The Pride celebrations every August require months of planning and interaction with LGBTQ+ community representatives and it is a major highlight of the year for police to show just what an inclusive force it is.
It is true that, in order to police effectively and maintain public consent, all police forces must reflect the communities they serve. Sussex Police is no different and they are trying very hard to recruit from more diverse communities to increase participation and confidence. The most recent detective intake showed Sussex was well ahead of the national average for BAME applicants for example. If re-elected I will maintain this focus and drive for inclusivity and I will continue the two-way dialogue channels that my office has with all LGBTQ+ communities so they can help me develop their policing priorities and ensure they are properly reflected in the way they are policed.
Paul Richards – Labour & Co-operative
There has been a major improvement in relations since the dark days of the 1970s and 1980s when Sussex’s gay pubs and clubs were routinely raided and vandalised by police, and homophobia was rampant and went unpunished. There is still some way to go, however, and the relationship is as you say fragile. I would ensure as PCC I was an ally of the LGBTQ+ communities in Brighton and Sussex, working with the communities to reduce tensions and keep dialogue open, ensuring that complaints were dealt with fairly and swiftly, and building trust.
The current police and crime plan is remarkably light on detail for the LGBTQ+ communities. If elected I would have a dedicated part of the plan for LGBTQ+ dealing with funding, partnerships, access to justice, support for victims, and a LGBTQ-friendly police force.
Kahina Bouhassane – Green
I see many parallels in the relationships between the police and LGBTQ+ and other minority communities. As PCC, I would be committed to meeting with all communities who fall outside the demographic majority and bringing their voices into decision-making.
Roy Williams – Independent
When I was a serving Inspector in the Metropolitan Police, we had Brian Paddick as our borough commander. Brian was of course the highest ranking gay officer in the MPS at the time and he was careful to invite sections of the community that were often inaccessible to the police to his office to discuss matters and to gain a greater understanding of the underlying issues. He gave many people his personal contact number and encouraged them to call him when they felt he needed to know about something. I like this approach which I see as inclusive and caring. I would encourage the Chief Officer to establish personal relationships in a similar way and give these under-represented sections of the community a greater ear which in turn promotes trust, confidence and understanding. It is this element of inaccessibility with the police and the current PCC’s office that causes mistrust in my view.
Join us again tomorrow for answers to the question: ‘In light of the recent case of Sarah Everard, who was allegedly attacked by a serving police officer, do you think the police are best placed to protect women from violence?’