Iowa City Police Department takes steps to ensure equality for LGBT people

Last week, we learned that three Iowa City police officers will become liaisons to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community in Johnson County.

Officer Rob Cash, Investigator Andy Rich and Investigator Bob Hartman will help create more positive relations with our community as they assist with LGBT-related crimes, work with other agencies around issues that affect the LGBT community, and have an active role in LGBT trainings.

We believe this is a significant move by the Iowa City Police Department to recognize those citizens who identify as LGBT, and to begin to understand and deal with specific concerns that community may have.

One Iowa Education Fund has trained law enforcement officers through the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) since June 2013, and continues to do so. Our cultural competency trainings have helped jail staff understand the significant challenges our community faces in jail or prison environments.

Many law enforcement staff—from administrators to practitioners—may not be trained to deal with LGBT people, or even accepting of those who identify as LGBT. The lack of understanding, or even potential hostility faced by LGBT incarcerated individuals, contributes to disparity in terms of housing, medical care and interactions with both staff and other prisoners or inmates.

Our presentations have provided best practices and strategies in effectively working with LGBT individuals. We describe the barriers LGBT individuals face when incarcerated. We also discuss how those barriers, concerns and disparities impact the criminal justice system. In addition, we identify strategies to open a dialogue between the LGBT community and law enforcement officials.

These trainings are among the most difficult and rewarding that we offer. The issues, including the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA), are very serious. We have come to know hundreds of law enforcement officers. We meet them where they are, and have open conversations about their interactions with LGBT people. They teach us about the challenges they face as we provide tools, skills and strategies they can utilize. We sometimes find tension and humor as we coordinate with law enforcement officials, but always a sense of professionalism as we come together to have these discussions.

So, kudos to the Iowa City Police Department, Chief Samuel E. Hargadine and the officers who signed on as LGBT liaisons. Together, they’re embarking upon an important and meaningful step to ensure equality and justice in Iowa City. We hope other jurisdictions will explore similar programs in the future.