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In June we mark Pride Month, when we celebrate and support people who are part of the LGBTQ+ community.

Its roots go back to the 1969 Stonewall riots in America, when LGBTQ+ people stood up against police raids, discrimination, and mistreatment.

While things have undoubtedly improved since then, many members of the LGBTQ+ community continue to have a difficult relationship with policing. Trust and confidence in the police is low within many LGBTQ+ communities, and crimes against LGBTQ+ people often go unreported.

Hatred towards these communities remains very real, and young people who are LGBTQ+ are among some of the most vulnerable people in our society.

When people ask me why we need a Pride Month, this is the reason why, and it is why I am proud to be supporting this year’s Caerphilly Pride event.

I want our communities to be places where everyone can live their lives as their authentic selves, free from fear and harm. Communities where everyone treats each other with acceptance, understanding and respect.

During my election campaign in 2024, I made my unwavering commitment to diversity and inclusion very clear. It is woven throughout my Police, Crime and Justice Plan, and I am pleased that in Chief Constable Mark Hobrough we have a police leader in Gwent who shares that commitment.

In recent years, diversity and inclusion have too often been used as political shorthand by people seeking to undermine public services. But, at their heart, they are about recognising the different experiences people bring, and ensuring services such as policing understand, reflect and serve all communities fairly.

When people feel seen, heard and respected, they are more likely to trust the police, report crimes and seek support when they need it. Coming together and talking about these issues, as we do throughout Pride Month, helps to build that trust, which is so essential to create safer, stronger communities for everyone.