The constabulary has a robust operational and communications strategy for the LGBT community, enabling staff to gain a good understanding of the issues and concerns that the community face.

Its activity around promoting good relations, eliminating discriminatory practice and promoting equality of opportunity is governed by law through the Equality Act 2010. The constabulary works to the ‘Equality Standards for the Police Service’. It was ranked in the top 150 of the Stonewall Equality Index this year.

Internally, it has a dedicated Gay Police Association group in which members are offered support, undertake awareness raising and community engagement events and act as a critical friend to the force, challenging its services and processes. In addition, an Independent Advisory Group comprising community members meet with the Chief Constable four times each year to discuss policing for the LGBT community.

It works closely with partner agencies including Eddystone Trust, Healthy Gay Cornwall and Intercom Trust to understand the concerns of the LGBT community. Local initiatives include a dedicated LGBT PACT (partners and communities together) network in Cornwall which has its own Facebook page. It supports the national campaign True vision which aims to raise awareness of third-party reporting for homophobic and transphobic crime and it supports the Cornwall, Exeter and Torbay Pride events, as well as other local and national LGBT related initiatives.

Anyone who wishes to report any form of hate crime can do so by contacting Devon and Cornwall Police on Tel: 101 or via the True Vision link on the force website at www.devon-cornwall.police.uk

In response to comments by Malcolm Lidbury

For many years the Devon & Cornwall Police has been aware of the postings that Malcolm Lidbury places on various websites, chatrooms, blogs etc, which relate to the Devon & Cornwall Police and its Officers. Mr Lidbury has his own website Pink Pasty in which he makes such postings.

The Constabulary has a long history of involvement with Mr Lidbury which resulted in an application to the Magistrates Court in 2005 for a Sexual Offences Prevention Order. This Order was granted by the Magistrates Court and subsequently upheld by the Crown Court following an appeal against the original Order by Mr Lidbury.

Ever since this Order was granted Mr Lidbury has sought to suggest that the Constabulary and its Officers are motivated by homophobia on a personal and institutional level.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission is the body which is tasked with the role of overseeing complaints against police officers and police staff and has conducted extensive investigations into various complaints that Mr Lidbury has made over the years.

None of these investigations have supported Mr Lidbury’s suggestions or complaints that homophobia has played any part in the way the Constabulary or its officers have dealt with Mr Lidbury.

Accordingly, the Constabulary specifically refutes such allegations and feels that in its dealings with Mr Lidbury all of its officers have acted in a lawful, proportionate and reasonable way.

We therefore dismiss Mr Lidury’s allegations of institutional homophobia and homophobia on the part of its officers and staff as being entirely without foundation.