2022 Was A Big Year!

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Dear Friends and Colleagues,

I hope this note finds you in the midst of a joyful and peaceful holiday season. I also hope you have a few minutes to read about some of our accomplishments in 2022.

Training Provided

This year we became an official course presenter for the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training. We hold our own certifications for four different classes that provide participants with continuing professional training credit.  This includes credit for completing our online and in-person classes.  And speaking of in-person classes, we presented our LGBT Awareness Training For Trainers class in person for City of Irvine, California employees and also hosted first-responders from around the country in Napa this last August for a 3-day LGBT Liaison training program.

In early 2022, we launched our new LGBT Law Enforcement Liaison Academy featuring three courses that guide the development and expansion of LGBT community liaison programs. Participants actually create a program during the course so that by the time the academy is complete, the liaison program is up and running with a 12-month action plan in place.

Our congratulations to the liaison academy graduates – Class of 2022!

Heather Bruner – Cleveland Division of Police
Katelynn Chuilli – Berklee University Police Department
Samuel Cropp – Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections
Shannon Crow – Erie Police Department
Mara Everson – Orange County Sheriff’s Department
Dawn Grieshop – Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections
Jose Gurule – Denver Sheriff’s Department
Michelle Kotlik – Irving Police Department
Anthony Maddox – Out Emergency Services
Ian Matheson – Keene State College Department of Campus Safety
Michele Meister – Virginia Beach Police Department
Christina Muzzipapa – Erie Police Department
Natalie Nimmo – Round Rock Police Department
Claire Owens – Williamsburg Police Department
Tyler Andrew Peppard – Oceanside Police Department
Shantel Pickett – Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections
Brandon Ragan – Orange County Sheriff’s Department
Kaitlynn Risner – Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections
Alex Rocha – Largo Police Department
Melinda Schubert – Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office
Daniela Simone – Hoboken Police Department
Sam “Miles” Sosbe – Savannah Police Department
Jennifer Stormont – Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections
Cara Thoen – Erie Police Department
Jherlynn Tims – Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections
Carlos Rene Ulloa – Kansas City Police Department
Taylor Vonderhaar – Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections
Ryan Weiner – Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office
Amanda White – Orlando Police Department
Glenn Young – Salem State University Police Department

National LGBT Liaison Network

Earlier this month we launched our new online platform to support our national LGBT Liaison network. We have over 200 officers from around the United States who are part of this unique network. The new platform offers a greater level of security for users and many additional communication tools for sharing information and getting questions answered.  We offer membership in the network without charge to members of law enforcement.

New Partnerships

One of the highlights for me this year was formalizing new partnerships with the United States Department of Justice Community Oriented Policing Services Office, the Federal Emergency Management Administration, and the Matthew Shepard Foundation. The partnership with the Matthew Shepard Foundation includes providing scholarships for law enforcement professionals to complete our Hate Crimes Investigations course and LGBT Liaison Academy. This incredible opportunity removes one of the common obstacles keeping officers from getting valuable training – funding! We are so grateful to be working with the Matthew Shepard Foundation – an organization so close to our heart.

We expanded our work with the F.B.I. National Academy and look forward to returning in 2023 to continue offering specialized training to prepare law enforcement leaders from around the world on how to effectively serve LGBTQ+ people. We really love working with the F.B.I. staff and are honored to be part of the National Academy experience.

Goals For 2023

In just five days, our new book arrives at bookstores for sale! The third edition of “Coming Out From Behind The Badge” is really a brand new book designed to support LGBT awareness training for first responders. It is the only text book of its kind on this subject and provides everything an instructor, student or law enforcement leader needs to improve law enforcement’s service to the LGBTQ+ community. Of course the book still supports those LGBTQ+ people who are looking for advice on how to come out. We added new stories from lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender first responders from around the United States. In addition, we have a new instructor’s guide that goes with the book. Participants in our LGBT Awareness Training for Trainers class get a copy of both.

We are excited about being able to offer our training in person again this year at Napa Valley College. In early August 2023 we will offer our LGBT Awareness for Law Enforcement Training for Trainers class, LGBT Liaison Course, and an historical walking tour of the Castro neighborhood and GLBT Museum in San Francisco. We hope to continue offering our “Kevin Burke LGBT Community Liaison Development Grant” and “John Reinert Scholarship” supporting LGBTQ+ law enforcement recruits.

All of this is made possible because of generous donations provided by people like you. If you haven’t visited our website in awhile, I invite you to use the link below to check out more about our work.

Thank you for your on-going support.  On behalf of our board of directors, I wish you a very healthy and happy new year!

Greg Miraglia, President and CEO
Out to Protect Inc.

Note: We have a new phone number: 855-OTP-LGBT (855-687-5428) Call toll free, text or fax.