Press Release

Orange County Sheriff’s Office Receives Accreditation
A First In The Nation

May 9, 2023 (Santa Rosa, CA) Out to Protect president Greg Miraglia announced today that the Orange County, Florida, Sheriff’s Office is the first law enforcement agency in the nation to receive accreditation of its LGBT Law Enforcement Community Liaison Program.

Under the leadership of Sheriff John Mina, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office was the first law enforcement agency in the United States to apply for accreditation of its LGBT Law Enforcement Liaison Program.  Orange County Sheriff Lieutenant Brandon Ragan leads the LGBT Liaison team. To receive accreditation, Lieutenant Ragan and his team completed the LGBT Liaison training Academy and submitted evidence of having met six rigorous accreditation standards that include:

The LGBT Law Enforcement Liaison Program is institutionalized and sustainable. 
The LGBT Liaison builds community relationships and trust.
The LGBT Liaison has established communications pathways.
The LGBT Liaison Is Engaged With The Community throughout the year. 

A full-time employee is currently assigned and trained to serve as the LGBT Liaison. 

The accreditation process includes a peer-review of the application and evidence of how the agency meets the standards. Orange County LGBT Liaisons met with the peer-review team to present various aspects of their program and answered questions about how they meet the accreditation standards.

Accreditation is good for three years and requires the agency to report annually on how it is maintaining the standards.

Greg Miraglia said, “I congratulate Sheriff Mina and the members of the Orange County Sheriff’s Office on their commitment to building a trustworthy relationship with the LGBTQ+ community in Orange County. Receiving accreditation is not an easy process and to be the first agency in the nation to do so is nothing less than commendable.”

Out to Protect is the only national organization to offer LGBT Law Enforcement Community Liaison training and accreditation. These programs are guided by a leadership team comprised of experienced LGBT Liaisons from around the United States.  To learn more about the training and accreditation, please go to www.outtoprotect.org