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 If you call the ‘Police Liaison Officer Project’ number advertised in the Community Contacts section of Queensland Pride, the officer who answers is most likely to be Detective Sergeant Finney.
She first volunteered to be a part of the liaison program in 2002 and for the past three years has been responsible for the 24-hour mobile phone service. With remarkable dedication, Finney performs this voluntary role in addition to her fulltime work as Team Leader of the State Flying Squad. She even responds to calls while on regular deployments across the state.
Finney was recruited by the Queensland Police in 1988 at the age of 22, after working in the security staff at Brisbane’s Expo 88. “I had a sense of wanting to do something for the community,” she recalls of her initial motivation towards police work.
Since then, she has had diverse experience in the QPS, working in uniform, as a detective in CIB and Homicide, and as an undercover officer, before being transferred to the State Flying Squad in March this year.
As a long-serving officer, Finney has seen positive change in police culture since the introduction of the LGBTI PLOs, a group comprising a variety of QPS staff, not only those who identify as part of the target communities. But she believes there is further need for improved internal education.
For example, a couple of years ago, she assisted at a police academy training session where people who identify as gay, lesbian or transgender were introduced to the recruits. Finney says, “I was surprised that a lot of new police thought they hadn’t had any interaction with a gay person before.”
Her hope is that one day, as the professionalism of the QPS increases, the need for specialised LGBTI PLOs will disappear because the public would be able to approach any officer with confidence.
There are many reasons people may prefer to deal with PLOs, including the sense that they will be met with empathy, and be understood rather than judged. For example, Finney says, “It’s hard for men to say ‘I was anally penetrated’ and give details of sexual assault.”
She receives on average five calls per month on diverse issues.
“Enquiries range from a married man who had a fling with a young man who secretly recorded the sexual encounter and wanted to blackmail him,” Finney says, “to domestic violence in same-sex relationships and reports of harassment of male homosexuals at gay beats by police.”
She explains that it is important for the community to understand the role of the 24-hour mobile number. “Normally people should just go through the standard process, as there are LGBTI Police Liaison Officers in most stations,” Finney says.
“If they’re not happy or feel their questions are not answered, I’m happy to do whatever I can to help. There is a message bank on the phone and a record is kept of each call I receive or make.”
Finney often refers callers to services such as Changeling Aspects, Walksafe and QAHC, or makes contact with other police in the network of LGBTI PLOs across Queensland, near where the caller is located.
“There hasn’t been a problem I have not been able to fix,” she says with pride. “I keep doing this job because I know that if people get me they will get quality service.”
Police Liaison Officer Project: 0419 768 732
Crimestoppers: 1800 333 000
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