Thu 17 Jan 2013 In: New Zealand Daily News View at Wayback View at NDHA
Police Diversity Liason Officers, some of whom are openly gay, at the Big Gay Out Gay and lesbian police officers who wish to march with pride in next month's Pride Parade in Auckland will have to do so as individuals and must not wear uniform. Several openly gay and lesbian officers have been seeking official support to march as representatives of the Police force but this has been turned down by police hierarchy. A Police spokesperson has confirmed that "any police who wish to participate in the parade can do so as individuals who pay their own way. Participants will not be in uniform." The Police cold shoulder to their gay staff's desire to be seen as out and proud glbti police officers is in stark contrast to the Defence Force which has sanctioned a uniformed presence of glbti members in the Pride Parade drawn from serving members of the NZ Army, Navy and Air Force. A number of gay police officers are understood by GayNZ.com Daily News to be "extremely and deeply disappointed" at the ruling. In recent years the police have actively encouraged gay people to join the force, through advertising in gay media and a recruitment booth at the annual Big Gay Out which has been staffed by uniformed officers, many of whom have been openly gay.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Thursday, 17th January 2013 - 9:32am