Dutch police in an Amsterdam Pride parade In a significant reduction of a hoped-for presence, gay and lesbian police officers will not be marching as a group in the forthcoming Auckland Pride parade although a small number will be incorporated into another float. Controversy has surrounded an edict from police hierarchy that any glbti police officers who hoped to have a high-profile presence in the parade could not do so in uniform and could not take part as representatives of the police force. By contrast, many police forces in western countries around the world, such as the UK, Canada and the USA, sanction their officers marching in full uniform in gblti pride parades Parade organiser Jonathan Smith had been quietly holding a parade entry slot aside for the group but this morning he confirmed that "around four" officers are instead taking up his alternative suggestion to join other glbti folk, out of uniform, on the parade's lead float. Smith says he is "disappointed" the police officers won't be marching as a group but would not comment further. The official police stance is that on-duty police officers might not be seen to be impartial if they have to intervene due to any anti-gay protest while their fellow officers march uniformed in the parade. "If it's a matter of security then I have to accept that, and I do," says Smith. GayNZ.com Daily News also understands that there was reluctance from the police hierarchy to either contribute to the cost of registering for the parade, which may have given the gay officers' presence a degree of official sanction, or to assist with the costs of out of Auckland officers who wanted to represent the force in the parade. Apparently no decision has yet been made by those officers who will be on the lead float as to if or how they will identify themselves. A number of gay officers are believed to have been rostered to work on duty amongst the crowds expected to be lining the parade route. The police will also have their usual presence at the annual Big Gay Out picnic day including gay and Diversity and Liaison Officers based in a liaison and recruitment stand.