After studying Chicago Police Department's treatment of LGBT people, Amnesty International ( AI ) stressed the need for LGBT police liaisons in all 25 districts, improvements in training and accountability at a Sept. 22 press conference.
AI released a comprehensive report, Stonewalled: police abuse and misconduct against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in the United States, that analyzed four cities, including Chicago, and revealed widespread police mistreatment and abuse of LGBTs. AI is also calling on the Chicago Police Department to sign a pledge that promises a commitment to combating violence and discrimination.
'The finding of Amnesty's report demonstrate that the targeting of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals … remains a persistent and widespread problem in the U.S.,' said Ariel Herrera, a national field organizer for AI.
In its report, AI found cases of sexual, verbal and physical abuse in Chicago and the rest of the U.S. Findings also reveal that transgender individuals, LGBT people of color, youth, immigrants, the homeless and sex workers suffer disproportionately.
Herrera said Chicago has taken some steps towards improvement, such as placing bike cop patrols in Lakeview, but much more needs to be done.
Heather Bradley, the youth outreach minister of Night Ministry, said she has witnessed incidents herself, and urges CPD to comply with IA's demands.
Danielle St. James, a 26-year-old transgender woman of Chicago who was present at the event, described 'unimaginable struggles' at the hands of Chicago police, including allegedly having her pants pulled down and harassment by law enforcement at least two times a week. 'It's made me a much stronger individual,' St. James said, who added that she never filed a report because she did not think it would help.
Bradley added that this reaction is common with LGBT victims of police mistreatment and abuse. 'They are afraid of retaliation,' she said. 'Most have learned the need to grin and bear it,' she added. The Night Ministry has filed formal complaints, according to Bradley.
In addition to fear, AI reports that police departments' LGBT-specific policies and procedures across the nation are typically unclear, under-enforced or non-existent. Seventy-two percent of police departments that responded to AI's survey said they had no specific policy regarding transgender people, and 66 percent said they provide training on hate crimes against LGBT individuals.
Bradley would not reveal the name of one police officer who is frequently mentioned by victims to the Night Ministry, or the precinct the officer works in. She added that the organization is working with the process the district police department has in place to hold officers accountable, and is working with organizations such as the Lakeview Action Coalition to address patterns of specific concerns in Lakeview.
Only one Chicago police district ( the 23rd ) has an LGBT liaison.