Stonewalled – Still Demanding Respect!
AI's Campaign to End Police Brutality Against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender People in the U.S.
Take Action Online!
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Demand NYPD Investigate Transgender Women's Allegations of Abuse
Mariah Lopez and Christina Sforza, two transgender women, have come forward with allegations of abuse by the NYPD that may constitute discriminatory behavior, torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, and in Ms. Sforza's case false arrest, failure to exercise due diligence, and denial of access to justice. AI is also concerned that in Ms. Sforza's case, she may have been denied access to essential medication that could have posed a serious threat to her life and well being. | PDF format | MS Word format |
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Ensure Safety of Gay and Transgender Detainees
Amnesty International is concerned that the recent decision by the New York City Department of Correction to close the so called “gay and trans housing” unit at the Rikers Island jail will expose gay men, transgender women and gender non-conforming detainees to a significant risk of violence, including sexual assault by other inmates. |
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End Police Abuse and Misconduct Against LGBT People
Nearly four decades after Stonewall, and despite significant progress in the recognition of human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people, the targeting of LGBT individuals for police abuse and misconduct remains a persistent and widespread problem in the U.S. |
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Urge Investigation of Transphobic Police Abuse
Kelly McAllister, a transgender woman, was reportedly beaten, pepper sprayed, hog-tied, and dragged across the hot pavement face down by arresting deputies from the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department after refusing orders to get out of her parked truck. She was later put in a cell with a male inmate who reportedly raped her. Urge the police to conduct a thorough investigation into Kelly McAllister’s allegations of abuse and the actions of its deputies leading to her rape. |
Write Letters!
Write to the authorities. In all your letters, please include the following key messages:- LGBT people in the USA continue to suffer serious police abuses, in some cases amounting to torture or other ill-treatment.
- Within the LGBT community, transgender people, members of ethnic or racial minorities, young people and immigrants bear the brunt of police abuse. The climate of prejudice which LGBT people face in the USA means that many of these abuses continue to go unpunished.
- Despite some positive initiatives by law enforcement agencies and the justice system, much more needs to be done to protect LGBT people from police abuse and misconduct.
In addition, the following points should be included in letters to the Chicago Police Department and City Mayor:
- To Philip J. Cline, Police Superintendent, Chicago
Police Department (CPD)
Urge him to: - Provide comprehensive training on LGBT issues to all CPD officers at regular periodic intervals. These should cover searches of transgender individuals, LGBT domestic violence and “hate crimes” (crimes motivated by discrimination), and sexual assaults of LGBT individuals.
- Appoint an LGBT liaison in Central Command and each district or establish a mobile LGBT Liaison Unit.
- Institute specific policies and procedures regarding police interaction with, strip searches and detention of transgender individuals, addressing the relevant concerns raised in Amnesty International’s report.
Send an email message to Superintendent Cline. »- To Richard M. Daley, Mayor of Chicago:
- As the highest elected official in the city of Chicago, please do all within your power to ensure that the Chicago Police Department respects the human rights of all city residents including Chicago’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender residents.
- Take steps to ensure that all cases of alleged police abuse are investigated and that perpetrators of such abuses are brought to justice.
- Ensure that the Chicago Police Department and other city departments and agencies review the recommendations made in Amnesty International’s report and make all necessary changes in policies and practices.
ADDRESSES:
Police Superintendent Philip J. Cline
Chicago Police Department
3510 South Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60653
USA
F: (312) 745-6963
Email: police@cityofchicago.org
Salutation: Dear Superintendent Cline
Mayor Richard
M. Daley
Office of the Mayor
City Hall
121 N. LaSalle, Room 507
Chicago, IL 60602
USA
F: (312) 744-8045
Salutation: Dear Mayor Daley
COPIES TO the Chicago Gay Officers Action League (GOAL):
Jamie Richardson – President
GOAL – Chicago
P.O. Box 577188
Chicago, IL 60657
USA
Email: JRichardson@GOALChicago.org
Salutation: Dear President
The following points should be included in letters to the Los Angeles Police Department and City Mayor:
- To William Bratton, Chief of Police of Los Angeles
Police Department (LAPD)
Urge him to: -
- Review current policies and procedures on police interactions with transgender individuals, addressing the relevant concerns raised in Amnesty International's report.
- Undertake comprehensive training with all LAPD staff on working with the transgender community.
- Review policing operations to ensure that they are not targeted in a discriminatory fashion against LGBT people.
Send an email message to Chief Bratton. »
- To Antonio R. Villaraigosa, Mayor of Los Angeles:
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- As the highest elected official in the City of Los Angeles, please do all within your power to ensure that Los Angeles Police Department respect the human rights of all city residents including Los Angeles' lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender residents.
- Take steps to ensure that all cases of alleged police abuse are investigated and that perpetrators of such abuses are brought to justice.
- Ensure that the Police Department and other city departments and agencies review the recommendations made in Amnesty International's report and make all necessary changes in policies and practices.
- Inform him that discriminatory targeted law enforcement based on sexual orientation and gender identity or expression violates international human rights law and standards on policing.
ADDRESSES
Chief of Police William Bratton
Los Angeles Police Department
Parker Center
150 North Los Angeles Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
USA
F: (213) 847-0676
Email: lapdonline@earthlink.net
Salutation: Dear Chief Bratton
Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa
City Hall
200 N Spring St,
Los Angeles, CA 90012
USA
F: (213) 978-0750
Email : mayor@lacity.org
Salutation : Dear Mayor Villaraigosa
The following points should be included in letters to the New York Police Department and City Mayor:
- To Raymond W. Kelly, Commissioner, New York Police
Department (NYPD)
Urge him to: -
- Take necessary steps to ensure that "quality of life" enforcement and policing practices are not discriminatory, particularly against young LGBT individuals, racial and ethnic minority LGBT people and transgender individuals.
- Institute specific policies and procedures regarding police interaction with, strip searches and detention of transgender individuals, addressing the relevant concerns raised in Amnesty International's report.
Send an email message to Commissioner Kelly. »
- To Michael Bloomberg, Mayor of New York City – Urge him to:
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- As the highest elected official in the City of New York, please do all within your power to ensure that New York Police Department respect the human rights of all city residents including New York's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender residents.
- Take steps to ensure that all cases of alleged police abuse are investigated and that perpetrators of such abuses are brought to justice.
- Ensure that the Police Department and other city departments and agencies review the recommendations made in Amnesty International's report and make all necessary changes in policies and practices.
ADDRESSES
Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly
New York Police Department
1 Police Plaza
Police Headquarters
New York, NY 10038
USA
F: (646) 610-5865
Email: pcoffice@nypd.org
Salutation: Dear Commissioner Kelly
Mayor Michael Bloomberg
City Hall
New York NY 10007
USA
F: (212) 788-2460
Email via: http://www.nyc.gov/html/mail/html/mayor.html
Salutation: Dear Mayor Bloomberg
COPIES TO the New York Gay Officers Action League (GOAL):
George Farrugia, President
GOAL – New York – Region 1
P.O. Box 1774 Old Chelsea Station
New York, NY 10113
USA
Email: president@goalny.org
Salutation: Dear President
The following points should be included in letters to the San Antonio Police Department and City Mayor:
- To Albert Ortiz, Chief of Police, San Antonio Police Department (SAPD):
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- Thank him for signing Amnesty International’s pledge and for taking positive first steps towards ensuring that the SAPD respect the human rights of LGBT people in San Antonio.
- Urge him to:
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- Implement a comprehensive program of training for all SAPD officers working with the LGBT community.
- Review policies and practices in handling domestic violence cases, including those involving LGBT individuals, and discontinue any policy or practice that could be interpreted as allowing SAPD officers to threaten those who complain of domestic violence with arrest. Urge him to provide comprehensive training to all SAPD police officers on the handling of domestic violence incidents involving LGBT people.
- Establish an effective mechanism for reporting complaints of sexual, physical or verbal abuse by law enforcement officials so that victims, relatives and witnesses can file complaints without fear of reprisal, confident that the authorities will act properly and impartially.
- Continue to do outreach, work proactively and maintain a system for effective consultation with the local LGBT community.
Send an email message to Chief Ortiz. »
- To Phil Hardberger, Mayor of San Antonio:
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- As the highest elected official in the city of San Antonio, please do all within your power to ensure that San Antonio Police Department respect the human rights of all city residents including San Antonio's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender residents.
- Take steps to ensure that all cases of alleged police abuse are investigated and that perpetrators of such abuses are brought to justice.
- Ensure that the SAPD and other city departments and agencies review the recommendations made in Amnesty International's report and make all necessary changes in policies and practices.
- Commend SAPD Commissioner Albert Ortiz for having taken positive and essential first steps for improvement, and encourage further progress in ensuring that the SAPD serve and protect the human rights of all members of its community, including LGBT people.
- Support the efforts to amend the San Antonio human rights ordinance to bar discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
ADDRESSES
Chief of Police Albert Ortiz
San Antonio Police Department
214 W. Nueva Street
San Antonio, TX 78207
USA
F: (210) 207-4377
Email: czainie@sanantonio.gov
Salutation: Dear Chief Ortiz
Mayor Phil Hardberger
P.O. Box 839966
San Antonio, TX 78283-3966
USA
F: (210) 207-4168
Email: phardberger@sanantonio.gov
Salutation: Dear Mayor Hardberger