DOJ to Conduct Trainings for Local Police Departments on Transgender Relations

Transgender Law Center applauds the US Department of Justice for its new initiative to train local police departments to better respond to transgender individuals. Data from a 2011 national survey of transgender individuals published by the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force revealed forty-six percent of respondents were uncomfortable seeking help from the police. This new initiative is a tremendous step in the right direction toward improving law enforcement personnel’s perception of, and support for the transgender community. However, training alone will not repair the relationship between law enforcement and the transgender community. For many transgender people, particularly trans women of color, interactions with the police often result in re-victimization, leading many to fear the police. Steps must be taken to make law enforcement personnel accountable for their actions to help ensure transgender people are treated with the dignity and respect everyone deserves.