Tasmania Police provide support

In a bid to increase instances of reporting homophobic crime, Tasmania Police have launched a new range of brochures and posters promoting Tasmanian Police Gay and Lesbian Liaison Offers.

The Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group and Acting Assistant Commissioner Steve Bonde recently launched the information materials which provide safety information to members of the GLBTI community and advice on how to contact police and access the GLBTI liaison officer network.

TGLRG spokesman Rodney Croome welcomed the move, saying police liaison officers provide a much-needed point of access and support for members of the community who have suffered hate-motivated attacks.

In a moment of reconciliation the event was also a commemoration of the 1988 Salamanca Market arrests.

-œIt’s a token of how far the relationships has come with the community and police, Croome said.

-œWe applaud the Tasmania Police for continuing to take hate-crimes seriously and for ensuring their services are open and accessible to everyone.

-œAs well as making it easier to access police services, the materials launched today send out an important message that discrimination and prejudice have no place in Tasmanian society.

There are now thirteen GLBTI liaison officers across Tasmania.

The new materials will be distributed to all police stations and will be available for distribution to other agencies, groups and service providers.