New Flag To Fly Across At Dyfed-Powys Police Stations To Mark International Transgender Day Of Remembrance

Sunday (20th November) is International Transgender Day of Remembrance and to mark the event, will be flying our new Transgender flag (attached) in a show of support for the transgender community and transgender residents we serve. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

T/ACC Pam Kelly said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I’ve arranged for the Transgender flag to be flown from flagpoles across the force this weekend to coincide with Transgender Day of Remembrance on Sunday. This is the first time that we have flown the flag from Dyfed-Powys Police flagpoles, but it certainly won’t be a one-off.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Dyfed-Powys Police will not tolerate hate or discrimination in any form whatsoever. Being an inclusive organisation is a lot more than just putting a flag on a flagpole; it’s about living and breathing inclusivity and equality in everything that we do.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“As well as having specially trained LGB&T Liaison Officers throughout the force, we are also in the process of reviewing some of our working practices to ensure that they are inclusive for our trans communities.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The raising of the flag, comes at the end of a year which has seen Dyfed-Powys Police take a leap forward in how it is structured to support Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGB&T) victims of crime. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

During the summer we deployed 22 LGB&T Liaison Officers to stations across the Force area. Police Officers and PCSOs who all put themselves forward to receive intense specialist training which enables them to undertake this specialist role. Experts who were already working nationally to ensure that no one person feels unable to put their trust in the police and to ask us for help when they need us the most, came to Carmarthen to assist in the course; as did people who had been victims of crimes themselves, but felt their contact with police could have been more positive. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Since June our Liaison Officers have been supporting victims of crime and providing specialist advice to investigative teams when dealing with sometimes very complex issues. And, there are now plans afoot to upskill more Officers and PCSOs in the new year, as we continue our commitment to ensure our service is accessible to everyone and the interactions with us are positive. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

If you want to speak with one of our LGB&T Liaison Officers, call 101 and ask one of our call handlers to put you in touch with one of them. Some of them will be attending Swansea Sparkle next weekend along with T/ACC Pam Kelly. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Transgender Day of Remembrance began following the death of Rita Hester, a transgender woman murdered in Massachusetts, USA on the 28th November 1998. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​