116 Towards the Effective Protection of LGBTI Persons Deprived of Liberty in police services. They are therefore expected to raise awareness on LGBT matters, share information, including on hate crime perpetration rates, and foster reassurance and trust within LGBT “communities”. They are pivotal in managing critical incidents and supporting investigations, and in encouraging crime/incident reporting and securing the provision of information from LGBT people. Internally, they also contribute to developing an understanding of LGBT issues and of the diversity that exists among LGBT people. While LGBT Liaison Officers85 are first and foremost hate crime investigators, they also assist other units in operations that involve or have an impact on LGBT people, act as resource persons in liaising with victims and witnesses, and provide as referrals to appropriate support agencies. Liaison officers are also expected to develop links with local LGBT groups and venues and to develop initiatives encouraging the reporting of anti-LGBT hate crimes or incidents. Monitoring checklist Is there a national law on hate crime? If so, does the law include sexual orientation or gender identity as discriminatory bias for hate crimes? Have individuals been prosecuted under this law? Is there any indication that LGBTI victims of hate crimes do not report them to the police? What are the reported reasons? Is data available regarding the outcome of administrative complaints and prosecutions of hate crimes? If so, what are the figures? Is there any indication that LGBTI persons have been harassed or abused by the police when trying to report a hate crime? Does the police have a system of LGBTI liaison officers (or officers with similar functions)? What are their roles and how are they perceived by fellow police officers and LGBT persons/organisations? 85 Andy Pakouta and Anthony Forsyth, LGBT Liaison Officer’s Manual of Guidance, London Metropolitan Police.