The LGBT Advisory Group has been working with the Metropolitan
Police (MPS) on LGBT issues related to the four deaths in Barking.
We understand that this case may have a serious impact on community
confidence in the police. We have worked with MPS to organise a
meeting so that our concerns can be heard.
I would like to invite you to the first of these meetings which will
be a
pan-London Stakeholders Meeting targeted at community
agencies and forums who have been interested in LGBT policing
issues. (There will also be a public meeting later in November aimed
at a wider audience.)
Venue: New Scotland Yard
Date: Wednesday 11 November
Time: 6.30pm (please arrive by 6.10pm as security clearance to the
building takes time)
At the meeting, the MPS will be represented by the borough commander
for Barking & Dagenham and the Senior Investigating Officer from
the Homicide Command.
The MPS has made a voluntary referral to the Independent Police
Complaints Commission (IPCC) to investigate the initial handling of
the four deaths. A representative from IPCC has been invited.
Please register by filling in the form on the following link:
http://goo.gl/forms/yftfYkTFbC
Due to the short timescale we have had to arrange this meeting, the
venue has limited capacity. Please register by
noon on Tuesday
10 November.
For security reasons, access to the building requires verification
by
photo ID which means either a photo driving licence or a
passport. (Originals are required.) We can make a special
arrangement if you cannot provide either of these forms of ID, but
please
indicate this on the registration form. (In particular, we
appreciate that this can be an issue for some members of the
transgender community.)
Aims of Meeting
- To enable LGBT stakeholders concerned with
community safety to be briefed, within the constraints of a
live investigation and an IPPC review.
- To allow MPS senior management to hear and respond
to community concerns with as much reassurance as possible.
- To identify institutional-level confidence issues,
and learning opportunities beyond those to do with the direct
handling of the operation itself.
- To identify broader policing or community safety
policy areas arising from these events
- To identify issues of concern within the LGBT
community that are raised by the events and publicity.
Topics will include
1) Homicide investigation. (Due to the fact that this is an ongoing
investigation and the case is
sub judice, the police will be
very limited in what can discussed regarding the investigation
itself.)
2) IPCC review process
3) Total
Victim care - includes current processes and discussion of issues of
barriers/outreach
4) Broader community or policing issues
