LGBT+

"I am delighted to be the LGBT+ Champion for Sussex Police, alongside my operational role as Superintendent for response and local policing. I am strongly motivated by my personal policing mission; to give a voice to those who are unable to speak up for themselves. Whether investigating a crime, dealing with vulnerable victims and survivors, engaging with community stakeholders or supporting our own officers and staff, I am driven to find ways to encourage, empower and elevate the voices of those who must be heard if we are to deliver an outstanding service. I am committed to bringing this same approach to my role as Equality Champion and hope that my lived experience as a gay woman in policing will help build trust and confidence with the LGBT+ community, both within Sussex Police and the wider communities we serve."

Detective Superintendent Alex Geldart

Priorities

• To become an employer of choice for the LGBT+ community and ensure there is equality in support, and career development opportunities for LGBT staff and officers.
• To create an organisational culture that values the importance of LGBT+ staff and officers to feel supported and encouraged to be themselves in the workplace.
• To provide support to LGBT+ individuals and communities in accessing policing services, and improving trust and confidence to report hate crimes and incidents.
• To demonstrate the force's commitment to providing visible leadership on LGBT+ equality issues and providing equitable policing services to LGBT+ individuals and communities.

Our work in this area

As a public service

Priority areas in service delivery for LGBT+ Equality include tackling hate crime and eliminating barriers to reporting. Gaining insight on public experiences is central to developing our approach.

A key part of this work involves engaging with people in our communities and regular consultation with both our LGBT External Reference Group (ERG) and our Trans ERG. The ERGs have helped to inform a range of policing activities; including our Hate Crime Action Plan, delivery of LGBT+ awareness days, and scrutiny around the delivery of specific operations and communications.

If you would like to help Sussex Police improve its service by becoming a member of the either the LGBT+ or the Trans External Reference Group email us at [email protected]

LGBT Community Engagement Advisors (CEAs)

LGBT+ CEAs are established across the force. Similar to other liaison officer roles, they receive specialist inputs to raise their knowledge and understanding, and create awareness in LGB and T issues. LGBT+ CEAs will act as a point of contact for LGBT+ communities and individuals, to build relations to increase trust, confidence and encourage reporting of crime. You can find a list of our LGBT+ CEAs at the foot of this page.

As an employer

The diversity staff support group for Sussex Police Officers and Staff is the LGBT+ Network. This is co-chaired by Superintendent Adele Tucknott and Detective Constable Lou Baileff. The Network provides support for LGBT+ employees in the workplace and is also there to identify organisational challenges and opportunities for LGBT+ staff and officers. The Network also acts as a critical friend to the organisation by scrutinising its policies and processes which may impact on LGBT+ communities and individuals.

Sussex Police launched their Proud Allies employee network in Summer 2014 with the purpose of supporting LGBT+ equality in the workplace to visibly support officers and staff who may still feel marginalised or unable to be themselves because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

If you work at Sussex Police and would like to become a member of the LGBT+ Network, or would like more information about Proud Allies, email us at [email protected]