![]() ![]() police crime statistics show that over the past 10 years, the largest number of reported hate crimes in the city are those that have targeted LGBTQ people as victims. The Blade also asked Smith how she plans to address the issue of hate crimes at a time when D.C. “And two of those vacancies will be for our LGBTQ unit.” “And so, what I have done as an initial step within the last couple of weeks is that I’ve approved four vacancies to be filled in the Special Liaison Branch,” Smith said. having been selected to host the 2025 international LGBTQ Pride event, which draws hundreds of thousands of visitors from throughout the world. prepares to host World Pride in 2025,” she said, referring to D.C. “And what I want you to know is the Special Liaison Branch, which includes the teams servicing the LGBTQ plus community as well as our immigrant, our interfaith, deaf and hard of hearing communities – they play an important role in servicing and connecting with our diverse community,” Smith said. “While we have no officers who have been reassigned away from those units, we do realize that attrition takes a toll on any area of the organization,” she told the Blade. Smith said she is committed to retaining the liaison units and doing all she can to keep them fully staffed. Her more than 20 years of service with the Park Police included assignments at Park Police offices in New York, Atlanta, and San Francisco.Īmong the topics the Blade raised with Smith during her interview was concern raised by some LGBTQ activists and other community activists that the shortfall of police officers that the department is currently facing has prevented the department from replacing members of the community liaison units, including the LGBT Liaison Unit, when members of those units retire or take other jobs. Metropolitan Police Department in May 2022 after having served as Chief of Police for the United States Park Police in the nation’s capital. police chief since the department was founded in 1861. If her nomination is approved by the Council, Smith would make history by becoming the first African-American woman to serve as the permanent D.C. Council, which is expected to approve the nomination when the Council returns from its summer recess. A short time later, the mayor named her acting chief while her nomination was pending before the D.C. At the time her nomination was announced Smith was serving as an assistant chief. ![]() Mayor Muriel Bowser on July 17 nominated Smith to become the city’s next police chief. We have a nationally recognized LGBTQ Liaison Unit.”Īccording to Smith, that unit, listed on the MPD website as the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Liaison Unit (LGBTLU), provides services to crime victims, outreach to community meetings, and “training and support to the rest of the department as well as the community.”ĭ.C. Smith added, “We also have LGBTQ members in the reserve and volunteer corps supporting many functions in the department, including support of the LGBTQ Liaison Unit. Listen, we have many members from the LGBTQ community here in MPD, including a transgender sworn member currently up to the rank of a lieutenant.” “And for me, that transfers to the members of our community – our businesses, our visitors, our tourists here in the District of Columbia.”Īsked whether that policy would apply to members of the LGBTQ community as well, Smith replied: “Absolutely. “And my role was certainly about fair and equitable treatment for every employee of the Metropolitan Police Department,” said Smith. “I served when I came into the Metropolitan Police Department as the Chief Equity Officer,” she said. “And my faith has nothing to do with me treating anyone differently,” she added. ![]() “And since we’re specifically speaking about the LGBTQ community, that translates to the LGBTQ community as well,” she said. ![]()
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