VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – Virginia Beach Police have announced the appointment of Sergeant Michele “Shelly” Meister as the Department’s first liaison to the LGBT community.

Sergeant Meister is currently assigned as the first line supervisor of the Department’s Ready Response Team within the Operations Division. She joined the Virginia Beach Police Department on August 1, 2002 and was promoted to the rank of sergeant on June 1, 2013.

The new LGBT liaison position will serve as a resource for members of the LGBT community who are victims of violent crimes and crimes motivated by hate.

The Department says often times those types of crimes go unreported, resulting in a cycle of violence that will continue unless effective intervention strategies are used.

The position will also provide opportunities for any person who feels the need to express their concerns or opinions with VBPD to do so.

The position has been unanimously approved and endorsed by Virginia Beach Human Rights Commission and Hampton Roads Pride. This liaison program is mirrored after a similar program that was introduced by the Norfolk Police Department in 2015.

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