On this page
Victoria Police are continuously engaging in new LGBTIQA+ policy and projects initiatives. This is part of our ongoing commitment to LGBTIQA+ communities.
We also take part in many events that are led by and support LGBTIQA+ communities.
LGBTIQA+ Portfolio Reference Group
We present quarterly event and policy updates at the LGBTIQA+ Portfolio Reference Group (PRG).
Our Reference groups(opens in a new window) page lists the organisations that make up our LGBTIQA+ PRG.
Read more about the work of the PRG at LGBTIQA+ community commitment and consultation.
Events and engagement updates
The LGBTIQA+ community events that we've participated in and supported.
JOY 94.9 is a radio station dedicated to LGBTIQA+ communities.
On the last Tuesday of each month, we speak to JOY 94.9.
We discuss what we are doing to improve our relationship with LGBTIQA+ communities. We share upcoming projects, events and news relevant to LGBTIQA+ communities.
Victoria Police celebrated Trans Day of Visibility with a variety of events. We raised the transgender flag at police locations around the state. We did this in solidarity with trans and gender diverse people across the world.
The flag was also raised at the Victoria Police Centre. A member of our Trans and Gender Diverse Employee Network (TAGDEN), as well as Acting Chief Commissioner Rick Nugent, spoke about the significance of the day.
An online event was available for all employees to attend.
A Victoria Police employee provided their lived experience as a parent of a trans young person. This offered valuable insight for all our employees.
We are dedicated to raising awareness of discrimination faced by trans and gender diverse people, both within our workforce and the wider community of Victoria.
Trans Day of Visibility flag raising at the Victoria Police Centre. As part of our Trans Day of Visibility celebrations, Victoria Police launched a new employee network.
The network is for employees who are parents or caregivers of trans or gender diverse people.
The aim of the network is to create a safe space for them to come together to meet to:
- share resources and stories
- increase visibility
- and advocate for improved supports and services.
The network will meet monthly.
Read more about our LGBTIQA+ employee networks.
We participated in the Daylesford ChillOut Parade and Carnival.
Police members marched alongside other emergency service members in the street parade. They then met with LGBTIQA+ community members and their allies at the Carnival.
We received an overwhelming amount of support from spectators.
Police attend the Daylesford ChillOut Parade and Carnival. Pride in Law is Australia's National LGBTIQA+ Law Association.
Victoria Police was pleased to be part of their panel to discuss family violence within LGBTIQA+ communities.
The panel was called ‘Family Violence in the LGBTIQA+ Community: Current Perspectives Panel’.
Assistant Commissioner Lauren Callaway (Family Violence Command) joined the panel. Thorne Harbour Health and Victorian Legal Aid were also on the panel.
The panel explored topics such as:
- how family violence presents within LGBTIQA+ communities
- the unique challenges and barriers to reporting
- preventative measures
- law enforcement responses
- legal interventions
- support systems available.
The audience was a highly engaged group of legal practitioners from across Victoria. Their work focuses on improving LGBTIQA+ inclusion across the justice sector.
We engaged in many meaningful discussions about the ways we can support members of LGBTIQA+ communities experiencing harm.
In February 2025, we held a careers information webinar tailored for members of LGBTIQA+ communities.
The webinar showcased the diverse career opportunities and support available to LGBTIQA+ employees at Victoria Police.
Current LGBTIQA+ employees answered questions from potential applicants.
This webinar forms part of our efforts to ensure our workforce is reflective of the wider community. It also reflects our ongoing commitment to improving LGBTIQA+ inclusion in the workforce.
On 9 February 2025, LGBTIQA+ Liaison Officers (LLOs) attended the Victoria’s Pride Street Party in Fitzroy.
It was a great opportunity for positive engagement with local LGBTIQA+ communities.
Read more about our LLO program.
LGBTIQA+ Liaison Officers (LLOs) joined the Midsumma Carnival celebration at Alexandra Gardens.
We engaged with many attendees and stallholders.
Read more about our LLO program.
LLOs attend Midsumma Carnival. LGBTIQA+ Liaison Officers (LLOs) from Leongatha, Wonthaggi and Morwell attended the Gippsland Pride Festival in Korumburra.
It was a great opportunity for us to engage with people from LGBTIQA+ communities from regional Victorian areas.
Read more about our LLO program.
Over 2024, we conducted LGBTIQA+ awareness training sessions for new and existing LGBTIQA+ Liaison Officers (LLOs).
This included regional areas, such as Horsham, Wangaratta, and Bairnsdale.
The training gives LLOs the tools and knowledge to support their local LGBTIQA+ communities. It also enables them to champion LGBTIQA+ inclusion in their workplaces.
We will continue to provide training to LLOs in metropolitan and regional areas.
Our LGBTIQA+ employee network VP Pride held its second annual Year in Review and Awards.
The Year in Review includes presentations from a range of departments. It showcases the work that Victoria Police is doing to support LGBTIQA+ communities.
The VP Pride Awards honour and recognise the employees who have made a significant contribution to improve LGBTIQA+ inclusion at Victoria Police.
Read more about our LLO program.
Victoria Police contributed to videos in a new e-learning course developed by the LGBTQ Domestic Violence Awareness Foundation.
The course, ‘See, Hear, Believe: Responding to DFV in LGBTQ+ Communities’, is designed for all Victorian front-line workers such as:
- police officers
- other emergency services
- family violence responders.
It highlights the complexities of intimate partner and family violence for LGBTIQA+ communities.
The course features:
- stories from people with lived experiences
- the perspectives of police and healthcare workers.
It aims to help front-line workers provide effective support. For more information, visit the DFV foundation.
We presented at Pride in Diversity’s Pride in Practice Conference at Marvel Stadium.
The presentation told the story about Victoria Police’s journey towards becoming an inclusive organisation for trans and gender diverse employees. We explained how we identified and implemented changes within the organisation.
The Pride in Practice Conference is the only national conference dedicated to advancing LGBTIQA+ inclusion in Australian workplaces.
Our LGBTIQA+ employee network VP Pride hosted the third annual Rainbow Families Day.
We hold the event each year in honour of International Family Equality Day. We recognise our LGBTIQA+ employees, allies, and their families.
With magicians and face painting, the day was full of fun and connection.
Read more about our LGBTIQA+ employee networks.
Victoria Police celebrated Wear It Purple Day with a variety of events. Police stations around the state raised the rainbow flag and held events at their stations to acknowledge the day.
An online event was available for all Victoria Police employees to attend.
Two guest speakers provided their lived experience as young LGBTIQA+ people. This gave valuable insight for Victoria Police employees into their challenges and triumphs.
Our LGBTIQA+ employee network VP Pride, hosted a full day employee forum at Marvel Stadium.
Over 100 VP Pride members attended and enjoyed discussions about support and advocacy for LGBTIQA+ employees.
The panel discussions covered:
- cultural load
- regional inclusion
- priorities for VP Pride
- the Victoria Police LGBTIQA+ Inclusion Action Plan.
Cultural load refers to the often invisible workload that LGBTIQA+ employees bear when they are:
- the only LGBTIQA+ person or
- one of a small number of LGBTIQA+ people.
Guest speakers and panellists provided valuable insight from policing, activist, academic, government and personal perspectives.
Read more about our LGBTIQA+ employee networks.
We attended the launch of the Victorian Government’s new ‘The Unsaid Says A Lot’ campaign at Parliament House.
The campaign focuses on the impact of non-verbal communication, like facial expressions and body language.
It aims to help people understand what it’s like for a trans or gender diverse person experiencing discrimination.
It also shows how to be an ally and support trans and gender diverse people through small, everyday actions.
Victoria Police presented at the ‘Pride in our future: LGBTIQA+ Safety Summit’ hosted by the Victorian Government.
The summit brought together community organisations, as well as government departments and agencies, to discuss LGBTIQA+ community safety.
We presented on:
- holding safe community events
- how police can support event organisers.
Read more about how Victoria Police can support you to plan a safe event.
Aquatics and Recreation Victoria hosted a panel of LGBTIQA+ community professionals. Victoria Police participated as a panellist.
We discussed the importance of creating safe and affirming environments at aquatic and recreational facilities. Their facilities include public pools and gyms.
The discussion included topics such as:
- appropriately collecting information about gender and sexuality
- LGBTIQA+ inclusive policies
- awareness training
- access to gender affirming change rooms
- hosting events.
Aquatic and recreation facility managers from across Victoria attended. They were very eager to learn how to create safer spaces for LGBTIQA+ people in their facilities.
Victoria Police celebrated International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) with a variety of events.
Police stations around the state held events and raised the rainbow flag.
Policy and projects updates
Our policy and projects initiatives.
Every three months, we publish a newsletter for LGBTIQA+ Liaison Officers (LLOs), called ‘The LLO-down’ (pronounced low-down).
The newsletter keeps LLOs up to date on what is happening in LGBTIQA+ communities, inside and outside Victoria Police.
It includes:
- upcoming days of significance and events
- policy and procedure updates
- emerging trends
- updates from the LGBTIQA+ employee networks in Victoria Police.
Read more about our LLO program.
We have reviewed the content on our internal Community Support Hub to ensure it is fit-for-purpose. This is to assist police members to support LGBTIQA+ communities across the state.
The refreshed content sets out best practice advice for supporting LGBTIQA+ communities, including:
- information about Victoria’s LGBTIQA+ communities and their relationship with police
- external support agencies
- the LGBTIQA+ Liaison Officer hub, which includes tools and information about the program.
We published the LGBTIQA+ Liaison Officer (LLO) Workplace Manager Support Guide.
We tailor the guide for Victoria Police managers. It gives them the tools to recruit and support LLOs, and gain a greater understanding of the importance of LLOs.
Supporting our LLOs in their role allow them to be more effective at serving LGBTIQA+ communities.
The guide includes:
- information about the relationship between LGBTIQA+ communities and police
- a breakdown of the LLO role
- how to support LLOs to perform their role effectively
- relevant resources
- points of contact for further assistance.
Read more about our LLO program.
Beats are public spaces where people, generally men, meet to engage in social and sexual activities. They can include parks, beaches, public car parks or public toilet blocks.
At the LGBTIQA+ Town Hall Event in 2021, we made a commitment to review and update our Victoria Police Manual - Policing beat locations.
This update was completed and the new policy came into effect in January 2025.
We developed the policy in consultation with LGBTIQA+ community stakeholders. It focuses on community engagement and human rights.
The policy provides guidance on:
- responsibilities when policing beat locations
- considerations when responding to offences committed against a person using a beat
- reporting of prejudice motivated crime (hate crime) and incidents against people who use beats
- considerations when responding to offences committed by a person using a beat
The policy is supported by a factsheet. It provides extra guidance and information to police members to understand beat locations.
For more information about the Victoria Police Manual, visit Policies, procedures and legislation.
The Victoria Police e-Referral (VPeR) system allows police members to electronically refer people to relevant support services.
Two new referral options for LGBTIQA+ communities are now available on the VPeR system:
- Q+ Law, which provides free, state-wide legal assistance for LGBTIQA+ people
- Pride in Place, which supports LGBTIQA+ people who are homeless, at risk of homelessness, or living in unsafe/insecure housing (in limited areas).
We contributed to the development of Victoria’s first whole-of-government LGBTIQA+ strategy.
The strategy is called Pride in our future: Victoria’s LGBTIQA+ strategy 2022-32.
The strategy provides the plan to drive equality and inclusion for Victoria’s diverse LGBTIQA+ communities, within all aspects of government.
Victoria Police has several actions under the strategy. We report on the progress of these actions on an annual basis.
Read Victoria’s LGBTIQA+ strategy and Annual updates.
We launched the LGBTIQA+ Liaison Officer (LLO) Community of Practice, and held its first meeting.
It brings together LLOs from a variety of regions, commands and ranks across Victoria to:
- be a centralised consultation group for the improvement of the LLO program
- be a central network for LLOs to communicate and share information
- circulate resources and information relevant to LLOs
- gather information around emerging trends, issues and potential risks
- develop relationships across Victoria to enhance service delivery.
The LLO Community of Practice will meet quarterly.
The post-event reports for the 2022 and 2023 LGBTIQA+ Town Halls were published on LGBTIQA+ community commitment and consultation.
These reports were also sent to attendees of the event and members of the LGBTIQA+ Portfolio Reference Group.
Read the notes from our Town Halls.
Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) negotiators respond to incidents that include people experiencing mental health crises.
The Priority and Safer Communities Division (PSCD) presented a trans and gender diverse (TGD) awareness training session to CIRT negotiators.
This training was tailored towards incidents and crises involving TGD people.
The LLO Brochure and LGBTIQA+ Resource Guide are key tools for LLOs and other police members. They provide information on how to connect with LGBTIQA+ communities at police stations and community events.
They also provide information about the LLO program, and LGBTIQA+ support services.
We updated the brochure and guide to ensure they are fit-for-purpose.
Victoria Police was proud to be recognised as a Silver Tier Employer at the 2024 Australian LGBTQ+ Workplace Inclusion Awards(opens in a new window).
The awards are based on results from the Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI).
The AWEI is an evidence-based benchmarking tool that assess workplaces each year on the impact of their LGBTQIA+ inclusion initiatives.
In 2024, we received the highest level of recognition for Australian law enforcement agencies. We were also the only Victorian Government agency to receive a silver award.
We significantly improved our score from 2021, particularly in areas related to:
- executive leadership and engagement,
- employee networks,
- visibility of LGBTIQA+ inclusion
- community engagement.
Beyond the award, the AWEI benchmarking process also provides us with valuable insights on where we can continue to make improvements.
Following community feedback, we published the list of LGBTIQA+ Liaison Officers (LLOs) on our website.
Members of the public can find their local LLOs before they go to the police station.
View our list of LGBTIQA+ Liaison Officers.
We are working to improve the way we record trans and gender diverse in our databases.
This includes:
- developing a way for members of the public to request to change their details
- guidance for police members to process the requests.
We aim to complete this project by the end of 2025.
If you are trans or gender diverse and wish to change your name and/or gender on Victoria Police’s databases, please email LLO-Coordinator-MGR@police.vic.gov.au.
Updated