Press Release: Miami Police Receives Accreditation

Posted on Posted in Press Release

December 5, 2024 (Santa Rosa, CA) Out to Protect president Greg Miraglia announced today that the Miami Police Department is the third law enforcement agency in the state of Florida to receive accreditation of its LGBT Law Enforcement Community Liaison Program.

Under the leadership of Chief Manuel A. Morales, the Miami Police Department became the third law enforcement agency in Florida and fifth in the nation to receive accreditation of its LGBT Law Enforcement Liaison Program. Officer Vanessa Gonzalez leads the LGBT Liaison program and attended the LGBT Liaison Academy presented by Out to Protect in Orlando last June. To receive accreditation, Officer Gonzalez 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. The Miami Police Department staff met with the peer-review team to present various aspects of their program and answered questions about how they meet the accreditation standards. The evidence presented demonstrated clearly that the Miami Police Department met or exceeded all of the requirements or accreditation.

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 Chief Morales, Officer Gonzalez and the members of the Miami Police Department on their commitment to building a trustworthy relationship with the LGBTQ+ community in the City of Miami. Receiving accreditation is not an easy process and is nothing less than commendable.”