Police Liaison Group: membership
The PLG includes:
- independent LGB/T members of the public
- representatives from local community organisations
- senior police officers from Headquarters
Independent members
There are currently two independent members, one male (gay) one female (lesbian). We would love to hear from anyone who would like to consider joining the Group as an independent member. Here you can download a basic one-page guide to the sort of interests and qualities we are looking for. If you think you might be interested please e-mail plgroup (at) intercomtrust.org.uk, or call 01392 201015 and speak to Tess or Michael.
Representatives of community groups
The idea is that each LGB and Trans community organisation that provides help or information or support for LGB/T members of the public in Cornwall & Devon (and is based there or has a regional representative covering Cornwall and Devon) is entitled to nominate one representative to the PLG. At the moment the list is as follows (currently active members are starred; not all member groups have websites):
- Beaumont Society South West (regional / national)
- Broken Rainbow Cornwall*
- Cornwall Lesbian Line
- Cornwall LGB/T Switchboard
- Cornwall Gay Men's Health Programme*
- Eddystone Trust, Plymouth and Torbay: Gay Men's Outreach Workers *
- FFLAG (Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gay Men), Cornwall helpline (regional / national)*
- Gender Trust (regional / national)*
- Intercom Trust (Cornwall, Devon, Plymouth and Torbay)*
- Kushbai (LGB/T Youth Project, Torbay)
- LGB Health Project, Devon Primary Care Trust*
- Out Youth (LGB/T Youth Project, Plymouth)
- Plymouth Pride Forum*
- RESPECT (LGB/T Youth Group, Northern Devon)*
- Western Boys (regional)*
- X-Plore LGBTQ Youth Group, Exeter
Other (national) organisations with which the Police Liaison Group has close links through the members above include GIRES, the Beaumont Trust, Press for Change, and the Consortium of LGBT Voluntary and Community Organisations.
We warmly encourage all organisations which are eligible to nominate a member to participate actively in the PLG. The PLG needs their special knowledge and skills, and is dealing with issues that are deeply important to all the community groups' members and supporters and service-users.
Police Members
- Deputy Chief Constable, Mr Tony Melville
- Force Diversity & Equality Director, Chief Inspector Brendan Brookshaw
- Force Diversity Officer, Ms Teresa Berridge
- Force Diversity Inspector, Inspector John Jackson
- Police Authority, Mr Carl Wallin
- Devon & Cornwall Gay Police Association representative
Other senior officers (usually of Chief Superintendent or Superintendent rank) join the Group on a regular basis to discuss particular issues in their geographical area or in their department. The Deputy Chief Constable has a Force-wide responsibility for diversity, and since he arrived in post in January 2007 he has made it very clear to us that he is deeply committed to supporting the PLG, working within the Force to make its work effective, and making fairness and equality for LGB/T people real across the entire Force.
Community members have built up a very positive relationship with our Police colleagues on the PLG. We respect them for their openness, for their determination to make the PLG effective both at the highest levels of the Force and at frontline policing level, and for the way they have carried reforms through. We have seen a genuine commitment to make change happen. The entire PLG can take credit for having improved the police service in Devon and Cornwall in many ways, as a positive and effective team.