EDGE on the Net

Concrete plans continue to emerge from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Nov. 30 training for officers who will supplement its Gay and Lesbian Liaison Unit, but area activists remain concerned about the GLLU’s future and the quality and quantity of the instruction participants of last month’s training received.

The DC Trans Coalition, the Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance, Gays and Lesbians Opposing Violence and the Gertrude Stein Democratic Club leveled a number of charges, specifically pointing out the "severely flawed training program for new affiliated officers," in a Dec. 9 press release. These include what the organizations described as "failure to follow through on the commitment to have stand-alone GLLU training for at least half a day."

"Instead, training was limited to less than two hours, and with combined attendees from both the GLLU and the Latino Liaison Unit," the press release accused.

The groups also cited what they described as a failure to discuss the distinction between sexual orientation and gender identity. And members of the DC Trans Coalition also expressed concern over the MPD’s promise to share its training curriculum with local activists in an Oct. 22 meeting. They maintain the department has yet to follow through.

Captain Edward Delgado responded to these concerns.

"What we supplied was the agenda, which is what we would refer to as the curriculum," he said. "It was in an email that went to (Mayor’s Office LGBT liaison) Christopher Dyer; and I believe it was circulated around to members to the GLBT community."

Sadie Ryanne Baker of the DC Trans Coalition confirms her organization received the information, but she maintains the department sent it out weeks after it had planned to meet with her and other organizations.

"It was sent out two days before the (November 30)training, which gave us no time to respond to our concerns," she said.

Baker attended the Nov. 30 training to give a presentation along with other DC Trans Coalition members, but she was unable to stay for any other events. She added, however, members of GLOV and Transgender Health Empowerment provided feedback that simply stoked her initial concerns.

"There were concerns that there was not enough addressed about domestic violence issues, Baker said. "The vast majority of cases GLUU respond to are domestic violence situations; yet there was very little training."

Baker expressed support for the expansion of GLUU officers beyond Dupont Circle.

"We think the satellite officer idea isn’t a bad one," she said. "Having officers trained in GLUU (matters) reporting to their own zones makes sense; but whenever these offices are hastily trained with insufficient community input, that’s not an adequate replacement for the current GLUU structure."

EDGE also asked Delgado whether the department would increase the number of officers at the Dupont Circle location from four.

"That is a decision (Police) Chief Lanier would make," he said as he noted the department now has 26 officers in the GLUU unit and vowed to maintain its current location. "The GLUU office in DuPont Circle will remain; but the actual operation we’re going to have involves officers trained to deal with issues specific to the gay and lesbian community in all districts, so they are able to respond in a timely manner. We’ll have officers available in all shifts, and they’ll have the flexibility to move from one area of the city to another to perform outreach."