Minutes: February 2006
Wednesday 8th February 2006
1. Present
Helen, Paul, Chris, Sharon, Doug, Ken, Cllr Dart, Robin – Wilts Police, Chris, Kati, Kathleen
1. Apologies
None
Introductions made and Chris Dickson, Training Programme Designer for Wiltshire Constabulary was welcomed to the meeting.
3. Minutes of the last meeting and Matters Arising
The minutes of last meeting were agreed.
Matters arising
Word Aids Day – Kathleen had replied to Helen’s phone call and Gillian Morris had also spoken to her about this request.
Advertisement in Student Magazine – Kati reported that Swindon College magazine wanted the LGBT to run an advert. She had received a copy of the magazine and the price list. If LGBT put an advert in they would run an editorial with a topic of interest to the Coalition. Could invite the editor of the magazine ‘Wired’ to the next meeting? Helen suggested Kati should speak to the editor and work from there. The advert should say we are one of 5 Coalitions.
ACTION: Kati to speak to editor
4. Equalities Statement for Swindon LAA – Matthew Pearce
Matthew explained that the Government sees Local Area Agreements as an opportunity for Local Council’s to work closer and more effectively with the Police, Primary Care Trust, Local Hospital, Ambulance and Fire Services and all strategic partners. At the time we put a bid in we were the only failing Council permitted to do this. Now we are a 2 star Council. The document before you is an Equalities Statement for Swindon Borough Council that we hope the Police, Fire etc will also sign up to.
Matthew said he had already met with the Race and Women’s Coalitions and the document had been amended to include their suggestions. The Race Coalition asked for the word ‘minority’ to be removed from 2.1.1. of the report and the word ‘racial’ to be removed from the Statement when talking about discrimination.
The Council have decided to appoint a new Generic Equalities Officer. Over the last few years we have not had one and now decided to reappoint and the post will be part funded through the LAA. They will be working with the Police and Fire Authority and PCT cutting out duplication.
Helen asked if there was anyone in post at present? Matthew said the job description would be drawn up within the next few months and hope to appoint by June.
Matthew spoke about the new Gender Equality Act that comes into effect in 2007 and the implications this will have. Public Bodies will have to demonstrate that they are inclusive and their policies stand up. One impact of this legislation is if for example a single mother needs a plumber she might want a woman so should the Council be employing women plumbers? It’s all about local authorities thinker ‘smarter’. Another issue will be procurement – buying in of services from Social Services, if a lesbian couple needed social care they shouldn’t have to have a young man to provide that for them. This will be an issue for the Police and PCT as well.
Matthew said if anyone wished to add something to the Statement or amend or delete something already in it just to drop him a line.
Doug asked if the Disability Equality Duty should get a special mention? Matthew said he was still trying to find information on disability discrimination. Doreen suggested he speak to Joe Backshell or Steve Milner.
Matthew said the Women’s Coalition had wanted ‘Whistle blowing’ included within the Statement but the partners were not happy to include this at the present time. However it is a 3-year plan so because it is not in there today it does not mean it wouldn’t go it.
4. EAF Meeting feedback and Issues to be raised at EAF Interim Meeting.
Helen was unable to attend the meetings and Doreen said she is Chair of the EAF and does not attend the Interim meeting so there was no feedback.
5. Report of the Hate Crime Forum – Robin Stannard
The third quarter (Oct 05-Dec 05) saw 9 homophobic crimes reported against 4 during the same period in ’04 a rise of 125% - this was the Christmas period. Currently only one has been marked as detected. 2 Transphobic crimes or incidents were reported this quarter. In January only 1 homophobic crime has been reported.
A total of 4 Crime Related Incidents were reported during this period, up 3 (300%) from the 1 reported during 04. Whilst non-crime incidents rose to 1 from nothing. No incidents or CRI’s have been recorded for January.
So far this year, starting April 2005, a total of 25 homophobic hate crimes have been recorded 9 detected (36%) with 15 (60%) currently rule H.
Doreen asked if the increase was caused by one particular group of offenders? Robin agreed that in December the increase related to harassment and name calling in the street and all of these incidents happened in the Town Centre late at night when there were a lot of people out drinking. People are also now more prepared to report these incidents.
Rule H – No Further Action by police due to there being insufficient admissible evidence to charge but the offender is known. This also covers incidents where the victim does not wish for a prosecution. With LGBT community this is usually fairly high.
A CRI is where it is suspected that a crime has been committed but:
- The alleged victim (or person acting on their behalf ie third party reporting) declines to confirm this, or
- The alleged victim (or person acting on their behalf) cannot be traced, or
- The incident is reported by a third party other than the alleged victim
AND
In any of these cases there is no supporting evidence, to show on the balance of probabilities that a crime occurred.
Non crime incident – an incident that does not meet National Crime Recording Standards criteria to be recorded a crime or CRI
Reminder of the Gay Policing initiative meeting planned for Saturday 25 March at the Black Swan, Devizes.
Robin advised that Wiltshire Gay Policing Initiative have produced a card and on the back are all the numbers that may be relevant. They have also produced a leaflet to go with the card that outlines what a Gay Liaison Officer s and what he can do etc. These will be appearing in Police Stations, Libraries and Council buildings. Copies of leaflet and card were circulated.
6. Any Other Business
6.1 Chris Dickson introduced himself and said he was a civilian and had recently come out of the army after 24 years and was now employed by Wiltshire Constabulary as a Training Programme Designer on a nationwide project across 43 forces throughout England and Wales.
He explained that Police Officer training has in the past taken place in Police Training Colleges out of the gaze of the public but it has now been decided that training will take place locally and it is hoped to achieve trained Wiltshire Police Officers for policing Wiltshire. They will be trained on the streets and in the local community.
One phase is ‘Community Engagement’ and officers will be allocated to spend 5 weeks visiting placements with local authorities, community agencies, organisations and groups. Part of their learning development will cover the issues of sexuality, disability, addiction, youth, ageism and some of the bigger issues that affect society in our communities. So far throughout Wiltshire 70 organisations have volunteered to host police officers for 2-day placements and this will allow them learn a lot more about their own communities. The people they meet on these placements will be their community points of contact.
Another phase is based on central police stations and classrooms within police stations. Officers will learn how to apply policing, common sense, good communication and inter-personnel skills. It is hoped to encourage members of the community to get involved with role-play, offering feedback or views. We want members of the community to come and speak and have an influence on officers’ training so that they will have a thorough knowledge of life in their communities.
Chris said the project is called Initial Police Learning and Development Programme. He said he would like to have people contact him and ask him to tell them a bit more about the project. Hopefully this is one way of getting the message out. He would like, on behalf of himself and Wiltshire Police, to encourage members of the Coalition to take an interest in this project. If you know of anyone who might be suited to help please give them my contact number or ask me to come and speak to them. All of the Coalitions represent areas I am interested in expanding on for Police Officers.
Contact details:
Chris Dickson, Training Programme Designer
Initial Police Learning and Development Programme
Police Headquarters
London Road, Devizes, Wiltshire SN10 2DN
Tel: 01380 734001 – dial 720 4682 when prompted
Email: [Removed from online minutes.]
Robin said for him this is a very exciting development. Over the years there has been a great deal of mistrust between police and LGBT communities because we don’t, as individuals understand one another. This is a great opportunity for us in Swindon to encourage and train our young officers how the community would like to be treated. Most of you will know that if you can make an impact at the start, things will change a lot more rapidly. I hope we can grab this opportunity and run with it. It is something we can consider over the next few meetings.
6.2 Website – It was agreed to renew the site hosting for the existing LGBT website but to have a link from Swindon Borough Council’s website. We will then need to make sure it is updated regularly.
ACTION: Kathleen to contact Lee.
6.3 Recruitment for the LGBT - Kati has been exploring this and asked if it would be worth while her ringing groups to show we exist and saying we would welcome new members? Was agreed anything would help. Advise Equalities Task Group as a lot of people don’t know what LGBT means.
6.3 Paul offered a lift to anyone wishing to attend 25 March event, he has 3 spaces in his car. Robin said it was a ‘Drop in’ with displays from various organisations.
6.4 Paul wished to share something that had happened on Saturday. In his capacity as a residential letting agent in Swindon he was showing round two young women, one from London and one from Bristol who he realised were probably gay. As they didn’t know Swindon he suggested walking through the Rose Garden and over the Bridge to the Town Centre. Got to the Bridge and realised there were a group of skate boarders in front of the Bandstand. They were very intimidating and as we walked through them we got verbal abuse. The two young women didn’t want to take it further they just wanted to find the railway station.
Chris said this makes Swindon look bad and he thought some sort of dispersal order was in place in the area by the Pavilion and outside the Wyvern? The two women decided not to move to Swindon!
Helen said every week she works in the Oxfam shop and when she goes outside she is always given abuse. Doreen said she often goes to the Wyvern and they stop by the theatre and hurl abuse at people in the Café and people parking on the third floor. She said she personally had never been abused but it was a very unpleasant place but cannot have the police there waiting for something to happen. The only thing she can say is that it will eventually stop as the whole area is within the regeneration area.
Robin said he would raise concern with town police. If you are intimidated report it, the more people ring up and complain the more evidence senior police have to do something. He said at one time low level stuff got lost but not now, but police cannot do anything if they don’t know about it.
6.5 Helen raised a concern about there being only two gay venues to go to in Swindon now the Cricketers has closed. Robin said the positive side is that hopefully there are more people in the LGBT communities willing to mix in the mainstream, on the negative side for those people who wish to go to a venue that is completely LGBT friendly that could be a problem. However gap would appear to be so small not providing a living for the Cricketers to stay open. Query whether this was something to do with changing scene, people coming out younger don’t need to go to a gay venue?
Helen felt at the very end of the scale there are older LBGT and they would prefer not to mix in the mainstream. Chris said that even when it was open the Cricketers was not well supported and that is why it has closed.
7. Dates of future meetings
2006
7-9pm, Wednesday 12 April: CR1, Civic Offices
7-9pm, Wednesday 14 June: CR2, Civic Offices
7-9pm, Wednesday 9 August: CR2, Civic Offices
7-9pm, Wednesday 11 October: CR2, Civic Offices
7-9pm, Wednesday 13 December: CR2, Civic Offices
