The Queensland Police Service is proud that over the past 30 years we have built an emerging and positive relationship between our organisation and LGBTIQ+ communities.
This partnership was made possible by both the dedicated members of our Service and the LGBTIQ+ community, who strived to cultivate a new era of respect that transcended the past.
From strengthening our LGBTIQ+ liaison program to better serve the community, marching alongside the community at Pride events, to forming an employee support network to connect our LGBTIQ+ people, we have created a better and more representative policing organisation in Queensland.
Yet there comes a time, where in order for a relationship to genuinely grow, an acknowledgement of past harm is necessary.
Despite the progress we have made, we must acknowledge for much of its history, the Queensland Police Service inflicted profound pain upon Queensland’s LGBTIQ+ people by enforcing laws that criminalised homosexual activity between consenting adults.
While the organisation may have been enforcing the laws of the time, it was nonetheless wrong and contributed to the immense anguish of many.
To all those directly and indirectly impacted by the discrimination and prejudice from these laws, which were enforced by the Queensland Police Service, I am sorry for this profound hurt and pain. I am also sorry to those within our own organisation who experienced discrimination and prejudice.
I embrace the opportunity at every point in this healing journey, to positively impact the future and I hope through this apology and statement of regret we can begin the next chapter and build upon the monumental progress of recent years.
We may not always get everything right, but discrimination towards LGBTIQ+ people is not acceptable and the Queensland Police Service will continue to work to eliminate it.
The future between us is bright, and I look forward to continuing to work with your communities to build an inclusive and representative policing service you can be proud of.
KATARINA CARROLL APM
COMMISSIONER
