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Home > Our Priorities > LGBT Human Rights > Stonewalled - Still Demanding Respect 		spacer
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Stonewalled – Still Demanding Respect!
AI's Campaign to End Police Brutality Against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender People in the U.S.


San Antonio Profile

While some important progress has been made in police relations with the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community in San Antonio, Texas, Amnesty International's research documents a continuing serious pattern of police abuse and misconduct against LGBT people in San Antonio, including sexual, physical and verbal abuse, some of which constitutes torture or other ill-treatment, in encounters with law enforcement officials including during arrest, searches, and detention; failure to respond or inappropriate response to domestic violence and crimes targeted at LGBT individuals because of their sexual orientation or gender identity or expression; and profiling and discriminatory enforcement of certain laws and ordinances against LGBT people. San Antonio is the largest city in Texas and one of the largest in the country that has failed to amend its city human rights ordinance to protect LGBT people from discrimination.

Recent Developments

Since the launch of Stonewalled in the USA in September 2005, the San Antonio Police Department (SAPD) has signed Amnesty International's pledge, committing to make the necessary changes in policies and practices to stop police brutality against LGBT people. They have also appointed an LGBT liaison officer. Activists have reported that the SAPD is currently working with them to develop LGBT-sensitivity training for its officers. Also, the San Antonio Park Police division claims that it has ceased its undercover "lewd conduct" operations. Amnesty International welcomes these developments and will continue to monitor their progress.

TAKE ACTION!

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 San Antonio Police Department and City Mayor:

To Albert Ortiz, Chief of Police, San Antonio Police Department (SAPD):
  • 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:
  • 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.
To Phil Hardberger, Mayor of San Antonio:
  • 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



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