LGBT+ Inclusion in Policing Conference

Mum, wife, daughter, sister, friend. I’m very comfortable as me; female and mixed race with a lot to say (and do) about unfairness, bigotry, all the isms, bullying and how we need to be more inclusive and value each other with respect and kindness. I retired as an officer after 30 years and it is my pleasure and pride to be heading up a new team of excellence for Inclusion and Diversity in BTP. I am passionate about inclusion and committed to seeing real progress and benefits with long term, consistent and sustainable activities. I&D is not a hobby, a ‘nice to do’ or something we do when we can fit it in. We must avoid good intentions with no action, ticking of boxes, tokenism, platitudes and peaks and troughs of effort. I&D is an operational and organisational imperative if we truly care about our people, our communities and Trust and Legitimacy in policing.

Chief Inspector Steve Alison is co-chair of the East of England region for the National LGBT+ Police Network and co-chair of the Herts Police LGBT+ Network. Steve has used his position to deliver a number of changes within Hertfordshire Constabulary including the launch of a gender-neutral uniform, fully inclusive force policies and the expansion and training of a successful LGBT+ liaison officer programme. Steve conducts this voluntary work on top of his core role as the manager for the Constabularies force communications room

Gamal Turawa or ‘G’ as he prefers to be called is the founder, managing director and Lead facilitator for Purple Frog Connections.

He is a living testament to the power of resilience and determination and finding yourself.

Coming from a childhood that saw him experience the UK care system both as foster child and later as a survivor of  physical child abuse only then to be tricked into going to Nigeria where among other things he experienced homelessness on the streets of Lagos and lived by drifting across the country from relative to relative constantly struggling to fit in.

After 8 years of living a nomadic lifestyle a remarkable encounter in a Nigerian Steel Plant enabled his return to the UK.

He then embarked upon a career with London’s Metropolitan Police Service where for fourteen years of his 25 year career he was in training delivering programmes on Diversity, Inclusion and Personal Development whilst becoming the UK’s first openly Gay Black police officer along the way.

His time with the police included a five year secondment to the National Police Improvement Agency where he trained in excess of 3000 officers from all over the world.

He is an associate facilitator to The European Fundamental Rights Agency, Vienna and the Central European Police College and has delivered workshops and motivational key notes across Europe and the US in both the private and public sectors.

He is a skilled listener and a highly experienced facilitator and life coach.

G retired from the Police service in 2018 having received numerous awards and accolades for a career labeled as exemplary.

Purple Frog Connections has been set up to share the knowledge and experiences that his remarkable career and life has given him which he now uses to empower, enable and inspire others to find their own truths and direction.

His remarkable life has taught him to be compassionate, empathetic and respecting of the stories that make us who we are both collectively and individually

Christian is a motivational transgender speaker who uses his own personal journey of discovery to enlighten and inspire individuals and organisations, including law enforcement agencies and educational establishments. 

 Christian spent his early years in Runcorn, Cheshire, in a practising Catholic family, attending both Catholic primary and secondary schools. Before starting his public speaking business, GenderSpace, Christian has enjoyed a successful 27-year career in the police service and was the first serving officer to transition in Merseyside Police. He has recently retired from his role as a Detective Sergeant but continues to work with Merseyside Police in his business capacity as ‘GenderSpace’, delivering trans awareness and education to staff and officers force wide. 

 Christian has made significant changes to become the true and authentic person that he is today. He provides an insight into the courage needed when facing the blockages, lack of understanding, discrimination, and bias and how this has empowered him to be the positive role model that he is today, making significant and life changing decisions along the way. 

 Christian’s own personal, lived experiences as a gay trans male help audiences to understand, empathise and gain a greater understanding of the journey of transition.

Hello I am Danni Gibson, and I am the current chair of the LGBT+ Network for Cleveland Police.

I am a response Police Officer and I have been for 3 years. Previous to this I was a PCSO and the Restorative Justice lead for the force.

I have been involved in the LGBT+ Network since we relaunched in 2015, and been Chair for the network since 2017.

I love being part of something that has many different functions within the force and representing Cleveland at national LGBT+ events.

I feel it is important for LGBT+ visibility to show support for all officers and staff. It is important to drive forward the fact that every person should feel comfortable and confident to come to work and be their true selves without discrimination.