Balancing Visibility and Invisibility in LGBTI Police Liaison Programs in Three Australian States

• In Event: Queering Policing

Abstract

This paper examines the different ways that LGBTI police liaison officers in three states of Australia conceptualised the public visibility of LGBTI police liaison services. In a climate where LGBTI police liaison services appear to be the dominant model for building relationships between police and LGBTI people, this presentation analyses interviews with LGBTI police liaison officers around how LGBTI people engage with these service enhancement programs. A key focus of discussions with these officers were the tensions and difficulties produced for the officers by the visibility and invisibility of these programs. While we may assume that enhancing the visibility of a program like this would be a worthwhile goal, the discussions of these officers make it very clear that careful consideration needs to be given in terms of how this visibility is produced and maintained.

Authors

• Angela Dwyer, University of Tasmania

• Matthew James Ball, Queensland University of Technology