Under the title "in the name of the father," the ad showed a Bible next to a puddle of blood and stated: "In the last 12 months, the GPA has recorded a 74% increase in homophobic incidents, where the sole or primary motivating factor was the religious belief of the perpetrator."
The advertisement appeared in the "Diversity" supplement of the British newspaper "The Independent" on June 29, two days before the homosexual EuroPride Day was commemorated in London with a downtown parade and a rally in Trafalgar Square.
Rev. George Hargreaves, leader of Operation Christian Vote -- a British group that describes itself as a "Christian political party" -- filed a complaint claiming the advertisement incited homosexuals to hate Christians.
That complaint prompted Scotland Yard to investigate whether the ad was a violation of the Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006, which specifies "offences involving stirring up hatred against persons on racial or religious grounds."
Stephen Green, national director of the conservative organization Christian Voice, stated in a July 22 press release: "It is obvious the Indy advertisement is so over the top as to be completely indefensible. The only explanation is that the Gay Police Association has collectively lost what remained of their sanity."
On the other hand, George Broadhead, secretary of the Gay and Lesbian Humanist Association, stated in a press release that the GPA should "stick to its guns" because "the advert is based on robust evidence."
"It is outrageous that Christians should suggest that complaints about their homophobia amount to an attack on their 'religious freedom,'" Broadhead stated. "It increasingly appears that 'religious freedom' amounts to a freedom to attack and insult gay people.
"I would rather Scotland Yard spent more time investigating homophobic incidents," he added. "The GPA wouldn't be saying these things if they weren't valid."
According to the GPA website, the Association was formed in 1990 and "has grown into a formally recognised and respected staff association with members in all 52 U.K. police forces."
Vic Codling, national coordinator of the GPA, told BBC News that the text of the advertisement was based on homophobic incidents logged by the Association's 24-hour helpline.
Codling added that he is not anti-Christian but does not want people's faith interfering with their jobs or encouraging them to discriminate.
The GPA newspaper advertisement is not the first time the Association has clashed with members of the Christian faith. Several months ago, a homosexual policeman applied to join the "Christian Police Association" (CPA) and was told that to do so, he would have to become celibate.
The CPA sent the applicant its "position paper" on homosexuality, which rejects homophobia but states: "We believe consistent homoerotic sexual activity without repentance to be inconsistent with membership of the Association."
The unnamed officer then contacted the GPA, which referred the matter to the police federation.
Codling told BBC News: "Black or female police officers wouldn't be asked to be 'less black' or 'less female' in order to join staff associations, so why should gay or lesbian officers?
"Some homophobes look around for excuses and see the CPA's position, and it gives them support," Codling added. "But many of them don't have a practising religious background themselves."
Don Axcell, executive director of the "Christian Police Association," told BBC News that his organization has tried to be conciliatory with the "Gay Police Association," but those efforts have so far been unsuccessful.
"They published a vitriolic article in Police Review magazine about faith-based homophobia," Axcell said. "We've been trying to work through conciliation, but we keep coming up against conflict."
Axcell also used information from the magazine article to criticize the GPA's allegation that religion is a motivator of homophobia.
"They say their helpline dealt with 14 cases of faith-based homophobia last year -- but not all of that was Christian," he said. Also, the existence of "14 cases is minuscule if you consider the thousands of police officers in Britain," according to Axcell.
English Conservative politician and pundit Iain Dale agreed that the ad unfairly focused on Christians as the source of ill will toward homosexuals.
"We all know that, with the possible exception of Buddhism, all religions have problems with homosexuality," Dale said in his blog. "I regard the Gay Police Association's advert as deeply offensive both to Christians and gay people.
"Could they not have thought of another way to raise the issue?" he asked.
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