Why flag for gay police group won't be flown at force's HQ

Raymond Brown

Chief Constable Simon Parr and top officers banned the flying of all flags bar a few

A row has broken out after a ban on flying a gay police flag from the Cambridgeshire force’s headquarters.
But police defended the ban, saying the decision was about “any flag” and not just the Gay Police Association standard.
The controversy was sparked after gay officers asked force chiefs if their flag could be flown from the mast at the Hinchingbrooke headquarters for Lesbian Gay Bisexual Trans (LGBT) month.
That request was refused and led to Chief Constable Simon Parr and leading officers banning the flying of all flags except the constabulary standard and the Union Flag.
Vic Codling, national co-ordinator for the Gay Police Association, said: “This decision is poor judgment on the part of the leadership of the force. There is a large gay community in Cambridge and this move just adds to their alienation.
“It removes the expectation that the police are gay-friendly and flies in the face of years of campaigning and change.
“If the Queen were to visit the headquarters and the force was asked to fly the Queen’s Household flag I expect this policy would quickly change.
“This is a backward step while other forces are doing much better. Suffolk and Norfolk forces fly the association’s flag so what is going on in Cambridgeshire?”
Other associations whose flags cannot be flown include Muslim, Christian and black police along with the International Police Association, Unison, Police Federation and the Women’s Network.
The request was made in February.
At the same time, neighbouring Suffolk police were defending their decision to annoyed residents to fly the gay pride flag to back gay, lesbian and bisexual victims of hate crime.

Cllr Sarah Brown

Cllr Sarah Brown, a Cambridge city councillor and LGBT rights campaigner, said: “The police’s policy on flag flying is something they have to decide for themselves.
“I’m proud that the city council chooses to fly the rainbow flag during LGBT history month. It provides a visible demonstration of our commitment to diversity.”
A Cambridgeshire police spokeswoman said: “In February we received a request to fly a flag at police headquarters. A decision was made that no flags other than the Force Flag and the Union Flag would be flown by Cambridgeshire Constabulary.
“This was formalised in a policy following a Force Executive Board meeting in July. The request in February was made by the Gay Police Association.”
She added: “The constabulary shares the aims and aspirations of the Gay Police Association.
“However, the force’s policy is to only fly the force flag or the Union flag, regardless of which group or organisation had requested an alternative.”
The details of the decision were revealed in minutes of the force executive board meeting which have just emerged.