'Don't Call Us, and We Won't Call You' – Law Enforcement and the Trans Community
June 7, 2012 by Matt Kailey
http://tranifesto.com/2012/06/07/dont-call-us-and-we-wont-call-you-law-enforcement-and-the-trans-community/A couple of years ago, I attended a community forum in Denver that was set up so that trans people could meet with local police and discuss our community's concerns.
The police representatives present were from a newly formed "diversity"-type unit that was created to work specifically with marginalized communities, including LGBT communities, and to investigate possible hate crimes or crimes that appeared to specifically target members of these particular communities.
The officers and detectives in attendance were friendly, attentive, and open to suggestion and criticism. They listened carefully as community members, primarily trans women, expressed their safety fears and detailed their experiences with police, some of which were not too pleasant.
The police assured the attendees that they were there for us and that they would take our complaints seriously. But, they said, "You have to call us. We can't help you if you don't call."
