ACON & police team up for Mardi Gras safety

SYDNEY: As the days edge closer to the Sydney Mardi Gras parade, ACON will team up with police from a number of local area commands to take part in a high visibility operation that will focus on community safety and encourage LGBTI people to access support and report homophobic and transphobic violence.

Officers from Surry Hills and Newtown police stations will join Gay and Lesbian Liaison Officers (GLLOs), staff and volunteers from ACON's Anti-Violence Project and other community groups for the operation taking place from Wednesday, February 27 until Friday, March 1.

Surry Hills Local Area Commander Superintendent Anthony Crandell said the upcoming initiative will reinforce the commitment of ACON and Surry Hills Police in ensuring that members of the LGBTI community feel safe and enjoy the Oxford St precinct, especially in the lead up to the Mardi Gras Parade.

“Surry Hills Police and the ACON encourage and welcome all members of the community to approach the Police command buses and Police officers patrolling the Oxford Street area,” Crandell said.

ACON CEO Nicolas Parkhill said the initiative was a valuable community engagement exercise.

“We thank all contributors to this initiative for helping to create this highly visible way of demonstrating that the LGBTI community is working with Police to increase the level and sense of safety experienced by LGBTI people,” Parkhill said.

The operation will be the latest in a series of recent joint initiatives by ACON and local police in recent months that aim to offer legal and welfare advice to members of the LGBTI communities.

[IMAGE]: ACON team members and volunteers with the officers from the NSW Police Force, handing out ‘Street Safety Tips’ on Oxford Street in 2012 (Robert Knapman)