POLICE ABUSE AND MISCONDUCT AGAINST LESBIAN, GAY,
BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER PEOPLE IN THE U.S.
Amnesty International's Executive Director Dr. William F. Schulz and Washington D.C. Police Officer Sgt. Brett Parson standing in front of Amnesty International's "Pledge for Police Departments" © davidberkwitz.com
Press Conference for the Launch of the Report
With the release of it's report Stonewalled, Amnesty International called on police departments to sign a pledge affirming their commitment to combat discrimination and violence against LGBT people, and to review AI's recommendations in the report and take steps to address problems within their departments. © davidberkwitz.com |
Mariah Lopez is an activist focusing on HIV/AIDS education and awareness and transgender advocacy. At the press conference Mariah spoke of her experience as a transgender woman of color – of being subjected to verbal abuse, sexual harassment and physical assault by police in New York's West Village. She has been in the New York City foster care system since age nine; three years ago, at age 17, she won a landmark case that allowed transgender teens in foster care to wear the clothing of their gender choice. Read her statement. » |
| Sergeant Brett Parson of Washington, D.C.'s Metropolitan Police leads the department's Gay and Lesbian Liaison Unit. He trains law enforcement in ways to better serve LGBT individuals, and has built a staff that represents the LGBT and greater community spectrum. At the press conference Sgt. Parson spoke of the initiatives his department has taken and of the continued need for reform in police departments around the country. |  © davidberkwitz.com |