More officers in Gwent are now trained to support Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) victims of hate crime, according to Gwent Police.
LGBT liaison officers have been in place since December 2010 and provide support and reassurance to victims of hate incidents and hate crime. They also provide support to the investigating officer.
There are now 25 LGBT liaison officers. Since the initiative began they have helped over 50 victims
Assistant Chief Constable Simon Prince said: “We work hard to encourage reporting of hate crime and the feedback we have had regarding the LGBT liaison service has been positive. We are continually progressing and not only do we now have more officers to provide this level of support, they are also trained to provide support to victims of same sex domestic abuse.
“We are proud of this initiative in Gwent; it has been recognised nationally having received a nomination at the Jane’s Police Awards as well as being recognised by Stonewall Cymru and LGBT Excellence Centre Wales.”