I applaud the decision of Sussex Police to set up a networking group for lesbian and gay staff.
In the last few years, the police have had to learn some painful lessons about the need to reach out to minority communities in building trust if they are to begin to be able to effectively tackle hate crime, so graphically drawn to the attention of Argus readers over the past months.
When we worked with the police four years ago to place recruitment adverts in the gay press, the Lesbian and Gay Police Association did not have a single member in the Sussex area.
Some officers at the time said this was tantamount to recruiting paedophiles.
It took some courage for the police to grasp the nettle and to understand it is essential for modern public services to reflect in their staffing the diversity of the communities they serve.
The message is quite clear: If it's not safe for staff to come out within the police service, how are the victims of homophobic crime to have the confidence to come forward?
Three cheers for Sussex Police and welcome to the 21st Century.
-Arthur Law, Market Street, Brighton
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