LGBT+ History Month marked in Wiltshire
The county's Police and Council are showing their support throughout February
Wiltshire Police have raised the rainbow flag at their Headquarters in Devizes today (Monday 1st February).
It's to mark the start of LGBT+ History Month, which this year has the theme 'Mind, Body and Spirit', calling on everyone to help prevent discrimination based on a person's gender or sexual orientation.
Wiltshire's Police and Crime Commissioner Angus Macpherson said:
"Raising this flag is just one way Wiltshire Police can show its support for the LGBT+ community within the county. More so than ever before, we should celebrate our differences within the very diverse communities and support each other - not use them to incite hatred.
"Only by raising awareness, and our Force reaching out to and reflecting the community it serves, can we truly affect change and acceptance in our society. That is why I am delighted to be able to raise this flag in 2021.
"Everyone deserves the right to live free from hatred, prejudice and fear of violence - no matter their gender or sexual orientation."
Wiltshire Police is represented at local Pride events, working with partner agency Stonewalll, and promotes equality among its staff.
They make rainbow epaulettes available for officers that want them, and the force has a zero tolerance approach to hate crimes.
Wiltshire Police Deputy Chief Constable Paul Mills, is the county's lead officer for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion:
"I am proud to be raising this flag and the Force is proud to be flying this symbol of acceptance and to raise awareness of the LGBT+ community in the county. Diversity in our community and in our workforce has always been important to the Force and has been a major focus for us over the last few years. We should be celebrating our differences positively and challenging prejudice where it exists.
"As an organisation we aspire to be representative of the communities that we serve and we welcome applications from all parts of our diverse communities to reach that goal. Issues like homophobia, biphobia and transphobia are very real and the Force has worked hard to build relationships, and trust, within the LGBT+ community by encouraging the reporting of all types of hate crime and our zero-tolerance approach to any reports of this nature."
LGBT+ History Month is also being marked at Wiltshire Council's main base: