NEWS:
• Protecting Yourself from Internet Hookups
• Men Injured in Anti-Gay Adams Morgan Assault
• GLLU Policelog
• GLSEN Partners with Logo on Lawrence King PSA

• Crystal Meth Use Among Survey Sample of DC Area Residents
• Special Liaison Unit (SLU) - Common Missions - Unique Communities

FOR YOUR INFORMATION:
• GLBT Youth and Suicide
• Victims Reminded That They Qualify for Compensation
• Address Bullying to Prevent Future Tragedies


Protecting Yourself from Internet Hookups
The Internet offers some great opportunities to meet people in a non-threatening environment, but with that anonymity comes an opportunity for criminals to prey upon vulnerable and/or unsuspecting victims. Crimes such as theft, robbery, assaults (sexual and non-sexual), fraud and identity theft are all possible forms of victimization experienced by people who choose to use the Internet as a place to meet new acquaintances. The Metropolitan Police Department provides some very basic ways in which you can minimize your risk of be victimized on their Web site.

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Men Injured in Anti-Gay Adams Morgan Assault
The following is from an article by Lou Chibbaro Jr. from the Washington Blade:

Two gay men were treated and released from a local hospital and another suffered bruises and cuts after the three were assaulted last week. Police and a friend of one of the victims said five unidentified male attackers shouted anti-gay names at them on July 13 about 4:20 a.m. on the 1800 block of Kalorama Road in Washington's Adams Morgan neighborhood.
The GLLU reported that the five unidentified males began to "verbally berate" the gay men and made "homophobic remarks about their appearance" inside the Pizza Mart carry-out restaurant on the 2400 block of 18th St., N.W.

Acting Lt. Brett Parson, who oversees the GLLU and who interviewed the victims, said the gay men and the five assailants exchanged verbal remarks before the gay men left the restaurant and began walking home. The unidentified assailants followed them on the street, continued to "hurl homophobic epithets" at the gay men, and physically attacked the three gay men on Kalorama Rd., according to Parson and the GLLU report.

Two of the three victims are domestic partners, Parson said. The suspects, who are described as black males, were observed fleeing the scene on foot toward Columbia Road, N.W., the GLLU report says. Parson said two of the victims were treated and released from a hospital with non-life threatening injuries. He said both the suspects and victims had consumed alcoholic beverages in Adams Morgan bars before the incident began.

Dupont Circle Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Jack Jacobson, who's gay and is a friend of one of the victims, said the three men were shaken by the incident and have so far decided not to identify themselves to the public and news media.
Jacobson said he has learned of a separate incident in which a gay man remains hospitalized after being beaten and robbed near 14th and U streets, N.W., on July 16, but he could not determine whether the motive in that attack was robbery or anti-gay bias.

"The prevalence of hate/bias crimes has remained consistent over the past couple of years and although spikes do occur occasionally, there is no reason to believe there is a drastic increase [in hate crimes] citywide or even in a particular area of the city," Parson said.

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GLLU Policelog

The GLLU is proud to be part of a feature in partnership with the Washington Blade newspaper, 'Policelog', with information about the GLLU staff along with recent cases of interest in our communities in the metropolitan region. The GLLU provides the case information and the 'Policelog' can be found in the printed version of the Washington Blade or online at www.washingtonblade.com. Thank you to the Washington Blade for helping inform their readership.

The D.C. Metropolitan Police Department now has a toll-free crime tip line: 1-888-919-CRIME. The tip line will be staffed by detectives 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Anyone who has information concerning a homicide, gangs, guns or other violent offenses can call the anonymous tip line and a detective will report all information. The toll-free number will also be displayed on L.E.D. boards in patrol cars throughout the District.

Residents can also use cell phones to anonymously text tips to the Department by texting to 50411. Text messages are monitored by members of the department 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Tips are then analyzed and passed on to the appropriate unit or division for follow-up. Because the tip line is anonymous, the sender will not receive a response.
Neither of these anonymous tips lines is an emergency number. Call 911 for emergencies.

RECENT GLLU CASES

• On July 13 at approximately 4:20 a.m., three gay men left a social gathering in an Adams Morgan apartment and walked to the Pizza Mart (2400 block of 18th Street, N.W.). While inside the business, the three men were confronted by a group of five black males, who began to verbally berate them and make homophobic remarks about their appearance. The three men made their purchases and departed. Within minutes, in the 1800 block of Kalorama Road, N.W., the three men were approached from behind by the same group of five black males. The suspects continued to verbally berate the group and hurl homophobic epithets. The group of five black males then physically attacked the three men. Two of the victims were taken to a local hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. The suspects are described as black males, in their late teens or early 20s. One of the males was wearing a black baseball cap, white tank top T-shirt and blue jeans. They were last seen fleeing on foot toward Columbia Road, N.W. This crime is being investigated as a potential hate/bias crime.
  
  
• On July 13 at approximately 12:30 a.m., members of the First District were dispatched to the area of 3rd and L Streets, N.E., for a call for a theft. Upon arrival, they were met by the victim, a cab driver from Anne Arundel County who advised he had picked up two transgender females in Anne Arundel County and transported both to D.C. Upon arriving in D.C., the fares fled the cab without paying. Officers were able to locate one of the two suspects and arrest her. The other suspect escaped. She was charged with Theft of Services and Possession of an Open Container of Alcohol. Members of the GLLU ensured the arrestee was detained appropriately, as per MPDC's General Order regarding the handling of transgender prisoners.
  
  
• On July 13, 2008, at approximately noon, members of the First District were called to an apartment in the 700 block of 7th Street, S.W., for a deceased person. On the scene, members found the body of Matthew S. Pizzi, age 43, with no signs of life. Members of the Metropolitan Police Department's Homicide Branch responded and determined there were no signs of obvious foul play.

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GLSEN Partners with Logo to Launch PSA in Wake of Lawrence King Tragedy

GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, is honored to partner with Logo on a new public service announcement campaign denouncing hate in the wake of junior high student Lawrence King’s murder. King, a 15-year-old from Oxnard, Calif., was shot and killed in school on Feb. 12 by a 14-year-old classmate because of King's sexual orientation and gender expression.

"We applaud Logo, MTV Networks and the caring celebrities who starred in this PSA for recognizing the need to speak out against anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment," said GLSEN Executive Director Kevin Jennings. "Logo and MTV Networks have been longtime supporters of ensuring safe schools for all students, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. Hopefully this PSA will help raise awareness as we prepare for the National Day of Silence on April 25 that this year will be held in memory of Lawrence King."

The 60-second PSA, which premiered yesterday morning at LOGOonline.com, features community activist, writer and actress Calpernia Addams (Logo's Transamerican Love Story), Andre 3000 (OutKast), R&B artist Ashanti, singer/songwriter Sarah Bareilles, actress Portia de Rossi (Arrested Development, Nip/Tuck), international performer Estelle, singer/actress Janet Jackson, actor T.R. Knight (Grey’s Anatomy), R&B artist Little Sister, actor Darryl Stephens (Logo’s Noah’s Arc) and singer/songwriter Taylor Swift.

"One more murder, one more life lost, one more attempt to provoke fear and one more reason hate crimes must end. We hope this PSA will help inspire more people to join the fight against hate crimes," said Brian Graden, President, MTV Networks Music Group Entertainment; and President, Logo.

GLSEN, or the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, is the leading national education organization focused on ensuring safe schools for all students. Established nationally in 1995, GLSEN envisions a world in which every child learns to respect and accept all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. For more information on our educator resources, research, public policy agenda, student organizing programs or development initiatives, visit www.glsen.org.

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Crystal Meth Use Among Survey Sample of DC Area Residents
From the DC Crystal Meth Working Group:

The results of the first community-based survey regarding crystal methamphetamine use among DC area residents were released today by the DC Crystal Meth Working Group. The release of the data was made during a town hall held in commemoration of National Meth Awareness Day. Since quantitative data assessing the magnitude of crystal meth use among DC area residents was severely lacking, the DC Crystal Meth Working Group developed a questionnaire which was self-administered anonymously to 1,109 DC area residents who attended Black Pride, Capital Pride or Adams Morgan Day events in Washington, D.C. this year.

Overall, 8% of the respondents reported using crystal methamphetamine at least once. Among those who reported ever using crystal methamphetamine:

• 93% were gay or bisexual
• 69% were white/Caucasian males
• 70% were aged 20-39
• 23% were HIV+
• 67% used other illicit drugs such as cocaine, crack, marijuana, ecstasy or poppers
• 27% were non-Caucasian respondents (Blacks, Hispanic, and Multiracial)

Sixty percent of those who have ever used crystal methamphetamine knew where to go for help for an addiction; 81% of respondents overall did not know. Most notably, 92% of the respondents overall reported never using crystal methamphetamine.

Although these results are not representative of the DC population as a whole, they do provide a 'glimpse' of who has ever used crystal methamphetamine among certain groups and subgroups among the DC area residents who volunteered to answer our survey," states Michael Plankey, Ph.D., epidemiologist at Georgetown University Medical Center, who analyzed the data. "The DC Crystal Meth Working Group plans to continue it mission to increase awareness of educational and treatment resources concerning crystal methamphetamine use particularly among current and future vulnerable populations," Dr. Plankey adds.

The DC Crystal Meth Working Group, founded in 2005 by The Center, is a coalition of concerned citizens and community organizations committed to providing information and resources to help people make informed choices about crystal meth. The working group includes: The Center, The Lambda Center at The Psychiatric Institute of Washington, Whitman Walker Clinic, and a number of community activists that together coordinate activities with the Metropolitan Police Department's Gay and Lesbian Liaison Unit (GLLU), the HIV/AIDS Administration of the DC Department of Health, the Addiction Prevention and Recovery Administration (APRA) of the DC Department of Health, and the Council of the District of Columbia. For more information about the DC Crystal Meth Working Group, please visit www.LetsTalkAboutMeth.org.

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Special Liaison Unit (SLU) - Common Missions - Unique Communities
Dear Members of the Asian, Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Latino Communities:

Recently, Chief Lanier officially moved the liaison units serving your communities to her office (organizationally, not physically) and appointed me to lead this outstanding team of men and women. These units include the Asian Liaison Unit (ALU), Deaf and Hard of Hearing Unit (DHHU), Gay and Lesbian Liaison Unit (GLLU) and the Latino Liaison Unit (LLU). I am honored to have been given this responsibility and pledge to live up the expectations you and the Chief have in me. The purpose of this open letter is to introduce myself and provide you with some important information about what you can expect in the coming months and years.

As many of you know, I left the GLLU in January of 2007, after spending six and one-half years leading that unit. Although I accepted the assignment with reservation and anxiety, I grew to appreciate the importance of serving a community that traditionally had been underserved by the police. Over the years, we developed a mission and operational activities that served as an example for our fellow Metropolitan Police Department (MPDC) officers and ultimately around the country. In the end, our mission took on three important aspects: Law Enforcement, Outreach, and Training and Education. Each of these parts of the mission became an important part of the GLLU's day-to-day operations and eventually resulted in the unit's recognition locally and around the world.

I lead a Special Liaison Unit (SLU) that recognizes the importance of strong and continuous communication and bonds with the communities we serve, while maintaining a visible law enforcement presence in every part of the District of Columbia. I hope to standardize those aspects of the SLU that have commonality and share resources where appropriate and beneficial. Most importantly, I expect each unit to maintain its unique qualities and ways in which it interacts and communicates with the communities with which it has become so closely related. In short, I hope we will share the best practices of each unit that might benefit all the units and communities, while maintaining those practices uniquely suited to each community's needs.

The units have not moved physically and there are no plans to change staffing levels. I am physically located in the Executive Office of the Chief of Police; however, am in the field frequently. I am meeting continually with each unit's staff to determine priorities with regard to resources and assignments. I am being guided by the expert advice and direction of the men and women that make up the units and value their input. Most importantly, the unit's current supervisors will continue to oversee the daily operations and serve as your points-of-contact with each unit.

In the future, I will be reaching out to members of your communities to share more details regarding any plan to expand the services of the SLU. You can be certain any plan will incorporate the important feedback you provided during the meetings this summer. Of this I am sure. You want the central functions of the liaison units to remain, but see an opportunity for their services to be expanded to the district levels through coordinated training, visibility in areas less visibly populated by your community members and better coordination of their services citywide. The challenge will be to balance any efforts to maintain a strong, central command of the SLU, while fostering growth and experience amongst the thousands of officers patrolling our city's neighborhoods.

I serve in this post with enthusiasm and hope we can create a model for other agencies to emulate. With your help, I know we will succeed.

Best regards!

Brett A. Parson
Sergeant
Metropolitan Police Department Executive Office of the Chief of Police
300 Indiana Avenue, N.W. #5080
Washington, D.C. 20001
Pager: 1-888-394-1975
Text Message: 8883941975@archwireless.net

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U.S. Senate Passes Hate Crimes Legislation - The Matthew Shepard Act

The Matthew Shepard Foundation recently announced the passage of the historic Matthew Shepard Act -- inclusive federal hate crimes legislation. Speaking about the vote on September 27, 2007 Matthew Shepard's parents, Judy and Dennis Shepard, said: "Today's Senate vote sends a bold and unmistakable message that violent crimes committed in the name of hate must end. The Matthew Shepard Act is an essential step to erasing hate in America and we are humbled that it bears our son's name. It has been almost nine years since Matthew was taken from us. This bill is a fitting tribute to his memory and to all of those who have lost their lives to hate."

The legislation is formally entitled, the Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act (S. 1105). It was offered as a bipartisan amendment by Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA) and Senator Gordon Smith (R-OR) to the Department of Defense authorization bill currently before the U.S. Senate.

Visit www.matthewshepard.org to read the complete press release.

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GLBT Youth and Suicide
Are GLBT youth at a higher risk for suicide than heterosexual youth? Yes! GLBT teenagers are at significantly greater risk for suicide attempts than heterosexual teens. GLBT youth are 2 to 3 times more likely to attempt suicide that heterosexual young people. It is estimated that up to 30% of the completed youth suicides are committed by GLBT youth annually (from Gibson, Paul. LCSW, "Gay Male and Lesbian Suicide," Report of the Secretary's Task Force on Youth Suicide, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1989.)

The following was gathered from a Seattle Public School survey found the following:

• GLBT teens were more than twice as likely as heterosexual teens to report making a specific plan for suicide GLBT teens who had been harassed because of their orientation were almost twice as likely to have made a suicide plan as those who had not.
• GLBT youth were four times as likely as straight teens to have made a suicide attempt in the past year which was serious enough to have been treated by a doctor or a nurse.
• Transgender youth probably have even higher risk, because they are probably even more likely to have been harassed and ostracized and are less likely to have found a support system.

According to an article in the Journal of Adolescent Research, lesbian, and gay adolescents who attempt suicide share the following characteristics and experiences:

• Disclosed their identity to a greater extent, and by doing so, lost more friends and experienced more victimization
• Lower self-esteem
• Acknowledged more mental health problems
• Early awareness
• Peer rejection
• Victimization.

Other major risk factors for GLBT youth:

• Rejection (or fear of rejection) from family and peers
• Violence from family and peers
• Alcohol or Drug Use
• Limited coping skills.

This information and more can be found at www.metrokc.gov/health/glbt/youthsuicide.htm

Call the Trevor Hotline at 866-488-7386. (The Trevor Helpline is the only national 24-hour, toll-free suicide prevention hot line aimed at gay and questioning youth.), 1-800-SUICIDE (national suicide prevention hotline) or Crisislink at 703-527-4077 (DC Metro-Area crisis helpline).

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Victims Reminded That They May Qualify for Compensation
Many victims of violent crime suffer more than just physical injury or emotional trauma. Violent crime frequently costs victims monetarily as well. DC's Crime Victims Compensation Program (CVCP) assists victims and their families with the financial burden of a violent crime. Managed by the DC Superior Court, the CVCP pays for bills that are not covered by other sources such as private health, automobile or life insurance, medical aid programs, and Social Security Income or Disability. The CVCP may provide financial assistance up to $25,000 per claim. There are sub-limits on the amount of assistance claimants may receive; for example, the limit for funeral expenses is $3,000.

Following are some of the expenses covered by DC's CVCP: crime-related medical and mental-health counseling bills; funeral and burial costs; wages, support or services lost as a direct result of the crime; crime scene cleaning costs; replacement costs for clothing held as evidence; temporary emergency housing for domestic violence victims. Emergency awards, limited to $1,000, are also available in cases where the claimant is able to show that undue financial hardship will be incurred if assistance is not granted expediently.

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Address Bullying to Prevent Future Tragedies
The effects of bullying should never be underestimated as evidenced by the recent tragedy of an 8-year-old student from Robert R. Gray Elementary School who hanged himself as a consequence of the victimization. Fellow students, teachers, others in the boy's life, as well as the community, are shocked by this extreme resolution to a problem. It is the ultimate horror for any family to have to go through. Read more about this from Gazzette.net.

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