Scotland Yard's reaction to murders and attacks on the gay community has been marred by "institutional" homophobia, it has been reported.
An independent review into how the Metropolitan Police handled investigations into the murders of 10 gay men or transsexuals between 1990 and 2002 found officers were hampered by a lack of knowledge, reliance of stereotypes and personal prejudices.
The report was sanctioned by the Met Police and written by its independent Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Advisory Group (LGBT IAG).
The five members involved in the report will be given a commendation today by a police commander.
The Guardian reports that the review recognises that Scotland Yard has substantially improved its dealings with gay, lesbian and transsexual communities and its investigative processes since the 1990s.
The newspaper says some feel the research is equivalent to the Met's re-evaluation of how it dealt with racist crime after the Macpherson report on the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence.
Commander Dave Johnston, who is from the Met's Specialist Crime Directorate and has overall responsibility for homicide, said: "Over the years the Met has developed a strong working relationship with the LGBT IAG.
"Consequently, with their guidance and support we have learned from past investigations, increased our understanding and introduced a number of initiatives.
"We are grateful to the members of the LGBT IAG who have given their time to help prepare this report, and the commendation is an acknowledgement of that dedication.
"Whilst the report launch marks the conclusion of this piece of work, we look forward to continuing to work in partnership with London's LGBT communities to ensure that our service delivery meets their needs."
