Police hate mail 'will scare off gay community'

A SENIOR policeman in charge of the West End's main station believes a hate campaign being waged against his homosexual officers will make the wider gay community afraid to go to the police.

Superintendent Dean Ingledew, divisional commander for West End Central in Savile Row, said the force must send out a clear message to reassure the community after a series of "homophobic incidents" at the station.

He said: "These incidents will make the gay community uncertain. It will make them reluctant to approach police and we are deeply concerned about these issues."

Eight officers from the station were sent threatening letters on 9 January through the internal post containing the word "faggot" and telling them to leave the force.

The names of the officers were stencilled on to the envelopes, which also contained printouts describing how gays can be "cured" of homosexuality.

A month ago, "faggot" was scratched on to the paint-work of a gay officer's car inside the station's compound. Superintendent Ingledew says station morale has been shaken by the incidents and officers are still shocked that a fellow colleague may have sent the letters. One of the eight who received a letter has taken leave and is receiving professional support.

"Whoever sent this in the internal mail is trying to create divisions in the station and between us and the community," added Mr Ingledew. "Everyone is very disturbed by it and very disappointed."

Detectives have decided the letters may be the work of a lone officer, but are not ruling out that a member of the public may have intercepted the station's mail. West End Central has about 12 openly gay officers, and police there won respect from the gay community for the liaison work they carried out with the victims of the 1999 Admiral Duncan pub bombing.

Pc Stuart Spinks, one of the eight who received a letter, said the incident had been very upsetting but had definitely not put off gay officers from working at West End Central.

He said: "It's an excellent place to work. You don't want to work here just because it's the gay village. It's the quality of work. Everyone, straight and gay, gets on and pulls together in situations like this."

Officers from Scotland Yard's internal investigation unit are awaiting the results of several forensic tests on the envelopes in an attempt to discover the author's identity.

Detective Chief Inspector Mark Veljovic, who is heading up the criminal investigation, said his team are looking for feedback from the police community and the public. Investigations into any similar incidents in previous years will be subjected to a thorough review and officers in charge will be interviewed.

Anyone with information is asked to call the police on 0207 2305407.

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