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Attorney General Loretta Lynch Discusses Improving LGBT Community and Law Enforcement Relations
During a committee hearing this week in the U.S. House of Representatives, Rep. Derek Kilmer (D-WA) asked Attorney General Loretta Lynch to discuss the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) progress towards implementing President Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing’s LGBT-specific recommendations in light of continuing violence against the LGBT community, especially transgender women of color.
Last year, President Barack Obama created the Task Force to recommend ways to reduce crime while increasing trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve. While the bulk of the report focused on racial bias, it also included LGBT-specific recommendations.
Attorney General Lynch acknowledged that the LGBT community for too long has been reluctant to seek help from law enforcement. She said that DOJ is providing guidance and training to law enforcement on unique issues that LGBT people face so that the community feels safe and empowered to seek help from police. The Attorney General also noted that DOJ is working to educate law enforcement on wide ranging issues that transgender individuals face.
The Task Force on 21st Century Policing identified just a few solutions that the Obama Administration can implement to begin the healing that exists between the LGBT community and law enforcement. Clearly, much more must be done, but HRC applauds the Attorney General and Rep. Kilmer for their commitment to implementing the Task Force’s LGBT-specific recommendations. We look forward to continuing to work with them to ensure that all LGBT people are safe and supported by law enforcement.
You can read more about the Task Force here and watch Attorney General Lynch’s comments.
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