Abstract
Police policy documents often articulate strategies and approaches that police organizations want to implement in their efforts to break down barriers with minority groups. However, most police policy documents are written for police audiences and not for members of the public. Police policy documents serve as a reflection of the aspirations of the agency and not necessarily the practice of the officers. Differential policing has been a salient experience for members of transgender communities because, as individuals who express gender in ways that deviate from the norm, they have experienced numerous documented cases of police mismanaged practice. In Australia, achieving police reform in the area of policing of diverse community groups has been difficult as new initiatives implemented to educate police officers about diverse groups such as transgender communities are scarce. My study sought to analyze a police policy document to assess how one police agency’s policy aspires to shape police contact/experiences with transgender people and how this document might shape intergroup identity differences between transgender people and the police. It is argued that the policy document will negatively affect police perceptions of transgender people and may enhance adverse perceptions of intergroup difference between police and transgender people. I also argue that using this document to achieve police reform in the area of policing of transgender people will be problematic as the policy document lacks substantial procedural guidelines regarding interaction with transgender people and may not favorably constrain discretionary police power.
Highlights
In 2009, under its professional model of policing, an Australian police organization created a procedural manual for its members that provided professional-practice guidelines for police officers “who may come into contact with members of transgender communities2in their official capacity.” the existence of the document has the potential to improve relations between transgender people3 and the police, the relationship between transgender people and the police in many Australian states continues to be difficult (Anderson, McNair, & Mitchell, 2001; Dwyer, 2011; Hooley, 2006; Mason & Tomsen, 1997; Ohle, 2004)
I chose one Australian police organization policy document written for its police personnel regarding how police should engage with transgender people as none of the other policy documents had included this detailed information
The results obtained from the analysis of the policy document indicate that intergroup differences between transgender people and the police may be significantly shaped and influenced by the use of these formal police practices
Summary
In 2009, under its professional model of policing, an Australian police organization (de-identified for ethical reasons1) created a procedural manual for its members that provided professional-practice guidelines for police officers “who may come into contact with members of transgender communities2in their official capacity.” the existence of the document has the potential to improve relations between transgender people and the police, the relationship between transgender people and the police in many Australian states continues to be difficult (Anderson, McNair, & Mitchell, 2001; Dwyer, 2011; Hooley, 2006; Mason & Tomsen, 1997; Ohle, 2004). Social discrimination occurs frequently in the lives of transgender individuals around the world The stigma of being recognized as a transgender individual (as a person who is perceived to be different to the social, cultural, and legal expectations of his or her birth sex) can have negative consequences. Vilification of people who are perceived to be different often leads to harassment, bullying, and discrimination by those who do not understand (Miles-Johnson, 2013a). In the Australian state where the policy document is applied, there have been numerous documented cases of transgender discrimination with many cases being reported as having been perpetrated by the police (Miles-Johnson, 2013b)
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