LGBTQ+ Perspectives on the Police

The main goal of this study was to discover how LGBTQ+ in Rotterdam perceive the police and how those perceptions influence trust in the police. It is vital to understand and focus on the specific perspectives that LGBTQ+ people have, as it helps us explore how marginalized sub-groups view and relate to the institutions around them. This study utilized queer theory concepts like heteronormativity and homonationalism to achieve a more complex and accurate understanding of the research question. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, and police trust was examined through a procedural justice perspective, namely as it relates to perceptions of understanding, dialog, respect, and neutrality. The results indicate that LGBTQ+ people in Rotterdam perceive the police as masculine, performative, and traditional. While opinions differed around the police, visible queerness seemed to be the defining pillar in shaping LGBTQ+ perceptions of the police, with visibly queer individuals often holding more negative perceptions of the police. Future research should thus expand on how the various sub-groups within the LGBTQ+ spectrum perceive the police. Given the unawareness but vastly positive outlook on the PinkinBlue liaison unit, this study suggests the promotion and increased visibility of the PinkinBlue unit.