The Queensland Police Service has committed to issuing a formal apology to the LGBTIQ+ community for historic enforcement of discriminatory laws in the state.
It comes after police were asked not to wear their uniforms again if attending this weekend's Brisbane Pride Festival March and Rally on Saturday.
Second year of ban
A ban on marching in uniform was introduced in 2021, for the first time since former police commissioner Ian Stewart allowed uniformed officers and staff to join the event in 2015.
Police were asked not to march in uniform by the committee of the Brisbane Pride Incorporated in August last year, a joint statement between the organisation and the QPS published earlier this week said.
"At the time, the decision was not made lightly, and it followed a process of having conversations and spending time listening to the real and current concerns of many members of our communities," the statement said.
"The decision to communicate that decision to the QPS, was done as a way to begin a conversation that would ultimately bring all community together to discuss meaningful and sustainable change, and to find ways to actively work together towards that change.
The organisations said they had continued their conversations during the past 12 months.
"Both organisations agree that a formal apology by the police is one of the steps that is needed for us to move forward for a positive future together, and we are moving close to that milestone," the statement said.
They expect a formal apology to be delivered in early 2023.
"We have unfortunately not been able to finalise the process in time for the Brisbane Pride Festival March and Rally and while police have been invited to march in 2022, they have been respectfully asked to not do so in uniform," the statement said.
"Both the QPS and Brisbane Pride Inc remain committed to this process which would enable uniformed officers to show their pride by marching in uniform once again in 2023.
"We acknowledge the difficulties this process of change can place on members of the QPS who are also members of the LGBTIQ+ community."
Apology for 'criminalised sexuality'
In an internal memo to staff also issued this week, Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll said the formal statement of "regret and apology" to LGBTIQ+ people would be issued in the coming months.
She told staff the apology would acknowledge the QPS past actions that impacted LGBTIQ+ people by "enforcing the laws of the time that criminalised the expression of their sexuality".
"We recognise the hurt and pain this has caused," the memo said.
Commissioner Carroll said in the memo she was hopeful staff would be able to march in uniform next year.
