Stonewalling in the Brick City: Perceptions of and Experiences with Seeking Police Assistance among LGBTQ Citizens

Abstract

Extant research has documented police interactions between racial and ethnic minority populations, including negative perceptions of and experiences with the police; police corruption and misconduct; and the deleterious effects of negative relationships with the police, such as reduced legitimacy and mistrust. Comparatively, exchanges between lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer (LGBTQ) populations and the police have received limited attention. This is despite work suggesting that LGBTQ citizens face an elevated risk of victimization, and a possible reticence in reporting their victimization, resulting from negative perceptions of police, fear of mistreatment, or even experiences of harassment and abuse by police. To extend the research in this area, I analyze 12 focus groups with LGBTQ participants (N = 98) in an urban setting to examine the circumstances in which LGBTQ people would seek assistance from the police, when they would avoid doing so, and their justifications for avoiding or contacting the police. I also considered intersectionality in shaping police–citizen interactions between sexual and/or gender minority citizens of color, as the sample was almost exclusively LGBTQ persons of color. I conclude by discussing implications for policing practices and policies.

Experiences of police‐related stress among a U.S. national cohort of gay and bisexual men

“…The historical (and continued) pattern of discriminatory and homophobic interactions with police officers has undermined LGBTQ perceptions of police. Although limited, the extant data on LGBTQ perceptions of police officers suggests generally impaired trust, perceived fairness, and quality of interactions (Finneran & Stephenson, 2013; Miles‐Johnson, 2015; Owen et al, 2018; Shields, 2021), with the exception of one study (to our knowledge) that reported generally positive perceptions of police among attendees at a pride event in Atlanta (Gillespie, 2008). For example, Owen et al (2018) conducted a study that found poorer perceptions of police across several metrics, when compared with their heterosexual counterparts—persisting even when race, income, rurality of residence, and personal history of police interactions were controlled for.…”

“…For example, Owen et al (2018) conducted a study that found poorer perceptions of police across several metrics, when compared with their heterosexual counterparts—persisting even when race, income, rurality of residence, and personal history of police interactions were controlled for. Indeed, a more recent study found that many LGBTQ remain reluctant to seek assistance from police, hold generally low opinions of police, and have experienced negative encounters with police including instances of misconduct and harassment (Shields, 2021).…”

Building a queer- and trans-inclusive microbiology conference

“…Consider hiring a third-party mediator to handle code of conduct violations. Do not equate police presence with safety, as queer and trans communities are often the subjects of police harassment ( 43 ). In addition, monitor social media and conference hashtags for harassment of specific conference attendees or marginalized groups.…”

Measuring trans youths’ perceptions of police and police bias: Exploring the use of the perceptions of police scale.

“…Within the last decade, there has been more research attention on how sexual and gender minorities (i.e., individuals who do not identify with the gender they were assigned at birth) perceive the police (Dario et al, 2020; Nadal et al, 2015; Owen et al, 2018; Shields, 2021). Though research in this area is gaining more interest, sexual and especially gender minorities’ perceptions of the police remain relatively unexplored in the literature.…”