Chicago Police Officer Philip Crosby has faced both personal and professional challenges as a Black gay man in a society and culture that stubbornly continues to be divided along racial lines as well as heteronormative standards.
"I like my job because it allows me to be of service to people," explained Crosby. "I work with the people who run to incidents with a man with a gun, person with knife, domestic battery calls. We're the ones who are standing out there in the alley at 3 o'clock in the morning covering your back. I'm very proud to be part of that group."
However, "as a Black man working with a majority white society the N-word is still used by people I work with and by supervisors," he said. "Not directly at me, not in anger, but repeating what other people have said and not realizing the effect on me. I would say: not racist, but definitely insensitive. You can't get away from race in this society. As far as being gay, I believe my acceptance has been grudging and reluctant. Over a long period of time I have shown that I can cover fellow officers' backs and walk out safely and in one piece. I've been granted respect because of that, but the truth is that my private life and my professional life are compartmentalized. They don't want to hear about it."
The 51-year-old officer was born in Washington, D.C., spent 20 years living and working in Ohio, and moved to Waukegan, Ill., in 1998 to become a Lake County parole officer for the State of Illinois Department of Corrections. The move to the Chicago area followed a detour when Crosby, at age 36, quit his job in Ohio to pursue a career in acting.
"After about five and a half years [ working for the Ohio prison system ] I was tired of sending Black men back to prison" he stated. With a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Ohio State University ( Columbus ) and a career in law enforcement, Crosby enrolled in the undergraduate theater program at Wayne State University ( Detroit ) and then moved on to the graduate theater program at Illinois State University.
The acting career was not to be, however. "I had tried to do something completely different. I believe I could have become an adequate character actor, but I needed money too. I didn't live by acting alone. I had become accustomed to a regular paycheck and paid time off and I was literally a broke student and it was uncomfortable. I bounced out …with credit card and student loan debt."
Crosby returned to his comfort zone and a regular paycheck in Waukegan and began to build a life in Chicago. He was "trying to connect with social services and other gay men" and "observed the Chicago police cars in the streets - being a police officer was something I always wanted."
He applied to the police academy and entered Dec. 18, 2000. He did his training year in the 16th district/Jefferson Park; assignment to Boystown/23rd District followed. He worked squad patrol for about five years. Dealing with "a number of issues," Crosby requested a transfer and was reassigned to day shift patrol in District 24, which covers both the East Rogers Park and West Ridge neighborhoods.
Crosby had experienced same sex infatuations and attractions since childhood and "acted out sexually with other men and had a relationship," said the currently single West Rogers Park resident. "At age 31, after 13 years of active alcoholism I sobered up. As an act of self pride, honesty and integrity I came out openly gay to parents, siblings, friends, employers and to any inquiring strangers."
Crosby, who came out on the job after his training year, feels his experiences with race, sexual identity and particularly with staying sober can help support both offenders and victims with whom he interacts. "I don't present myself in the squad car as a Black-gay-recovering police officer; I present myself as a member of a service organization," he said. "But I can bring all of me to the job. In instances where I have drunken offenders, while one-on-one, I can share my recovery. It's important for them to know that there's a way out. Where I've responded to victims who are gay, I have shared. I see nothing wrong with that when I see an opportunity to connect - I can share in an appropriate and professional manner and be of service. That's what I'm there for."
Crosby would like to see the police department offer a lot more training in the area of LGBT diversity. "Within the department there seems to be a little resentment as far as training, for all kinds of training. There needs to be a better attitude," he said. "Diversity training is part of standard operating procedure in private enterprise and I'd really like to see that at the city level." He also believes equal benefits for "partners and significant others would help to foster a better attitude toward gay and lesbian people, especially in creating an atmosphere of openness.
"I know that there are a number of us that are out and willing to talk about ourselves and many more that aren't. It has been important for me to be out and honest and present myself to people as they do, to let them get to know me as I get to know them. Anything the department can do to be open, and allow openness and foster a better attitude towards LGBT officers, the better.
Crosby has been a member of LGPA/GOAL-Chicago for the past couple of years and is helping out with fundraising for the 14th Annual International LGBT Conference for Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Professionals taking place in Chicago June 22-27. He's soliciting companies for direct donations, silent auction items and advertising for the program book. During the conference the organization will bestow the "Bridge to Unity" award on actress Sharon Gless, star of Hannah Free. For more information see www.goalchicago.info/2010.