Page 18 - WMPF Federation Aug-Sept 2017

Supporting LGBT+ communities

‘I don’t do this for

praise or recognition’

Birmingham bobby honoured in the response policing and two years as a until the late ‘80s for what would now
Queen’s Honours list says he is finding neighbourhood beat officer in Newtown amount to consenting sex between two
Athe personal attention he is getting before becoming a partnerships officer. adults. However, the age of consent remained
since his award was announced quite Gary has served on the LGBT Network at 21 until 1994, where it went down to 18,
‘uncomfortable’ but is pleased that it has committee for nine years and took over as eventually becoming equal to the
enabled him to raise the profile of the work he vice-chair in September 2012. He was heterosexual age of consent (16) in 2000.
is doing for people within the LGBT+ nominated for a National Diversity Award in “While enforcement relaxed a little in
community both inside and outside the police 2012 and has been shortlisted for a West that respect when Tony Blair came to power,
service. Midlands Police Diamond Award in the the LGBT+ community has, I believe, long
PC Gary Stack (38) works in the Pan- Driving Diversity category. Gary became the been seen as a soft target for police especially
Birmingham Partnerships Team based at network chair in September 2014. during a time where forces were heavily
Force Headquarters and has been awarded a The network is currently re-branding to targeted on arrests and detections.
British Empire Medal for services to policing become the gender identity and sexual “Sting operations in cruising grounds and
and the community. orientation group, in a bid to create a more public toilets were common place 12 to 15
He has worked for West universal appeal to its aims. years ago and many men who may otherwise
Midlands Police for 13 years, “Everyone has a gender identity and a never have committed a criminal act in their
chairs the Force’s LGBT sexual orientation so I’m hopeful that this lives suddenly found themselves labelled as
Network and is also the will open us up a bit more to those colleagues sex offenders because it was easy to arrest
Force lead for sexual who feel there’s nothing for them. My team and detect.”
orientation hate crime. and I will support any police officer or Gary continues: “We’ve never gone out
Gary explains: “It was a member of police staff who needs it, and purposefully targeted heterosexual
huge shock when I received the letter to say I regardless of their sexual orientation or people doing the same – we’d even refer to
had been honoured. It’s lovely to be gender identity,” Gary says. places well known as being frequented by
recognised in such a formal and high profile Much of Gary’s work is undertaken in his straight couples getting frisky as ‘lovers lanes’.
way but I don’t do this stuff for praise and own time as he tries to build trust in the “Similarly, we’ve never gone out and
recognition. police among LGBT+ communities. targeted under age straight people for
“I do it because I am passionate about it “Every officer will have an acute breaking age of consent laws… only the gay
and I see myself as being in a highly privileged awareness of the trust and confidence issues ones. So to say there is a lack of trust and an
position in society, holding the office of in policing among the black community, but almost instinctive dislike of the police among
constable – and I really just want to use that many might be surprised to learn that the certain elements of the LGBT+ community is
as a platform to influence change and help LGBT+ community also has a chequered past an understatement.”
others who maybe don’t have much of a voice. with policing,” he explains. Gary believes LGBT+ people are less likely
“From a policing perspective it is so “This year marks 50 years since to report crimes against them than their
important that the LGBT+ community trust homosexuality was decriminalised in the UK heterosexual counterparts because of a fear
that they can report crime to us and it will be but gay men were being sent to prison still up that they will receive less favourable
taken seriously. A large part of my role lies in
building that trust and in my time here I have
seen things improve enormously both in From a policing perspective it is so
terms of equality and legislatively.
“I am very proud to have received the
Gary contributed to the Force’s former “ important that the LGBT+ community
medal but I know we can never be complacent
and both my work and that of the Force will trust that they can report crime to us
continue.”
and it will be taken seriously. A large
Equality, Diversity and Human Rights Forum
and now sits at a Force level in an advisory part of my role lies in building that trust
capacity to the Force POD (People and
Organisation Directorate) as well as providing and in my time here I have seen things
community based personal safety training in improve enormously both in terms of
his own time.
When he joined the Force he was a Special equality and legislatively.
Constable for two years before becoming a “
regular officer, spending three years on 24/7

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