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DeKalb committee hears expert on LGBTQ+ police liaison, defers resolution two weeks
Summary
After testimony from Georgia Equality’s Chanel Haley and remarks from the interim police chief about department training, the committee deferred a resolution asking the administration to implement an LGBTQ+ police liaison and hate‑crimes training for two weeks to invite additional stakeholders and finalize implementation details.
Commissioner Terry introduced a resolution requesting that the DeKalb County administration implement an LGBTQ+ police liaison position, require hate‑crimes identification training for law enforcement and take related steps.
Chanel Haley, deputy executive director of Georgia Equality and the Equality Foundation of Georgia, testified as a guest and described best practices. Haley said a liaison should have visible authority and community presence and warned against creating a token position without clear duties, outreach or public information. "The bad way of doing it obviously is creating a position and leaving it at that, to where that person has 0 authority," she told the committee. Haley recommended adding training elements to recruit and academy instruction, embedding liaisons into community events and ensuring the role can support victims and flag internal discrimination.
The interim police chief said the department already provides ongoing LGBTQ+ training and submitted a lesson plan to the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training council for statewide acceptance; the chief described plans to include the training in in‑service and academy curricula next year. Commissioners discussed whether to create a position or request the administration to explore implementation options; Commissioner Terry said the resolution is a request to administration and that creating an official position would be subject to administrative and budgetary processes.
Commissioner Davis Johnson expressed support for the idea but said he did not see an immediate urgency and could not support creating a new position now; other commissioners urged consultation with partner organizations. Commissioner Johnson moved to defer the item for two weeks so staff could invite additional stakeholders; Commissioner Davis Johnson seconded. The motion to defer carried by voice vote.
Next steps: the chair said staff will invite additional organizations and stakeholders (including law enforcement trainers and victim services groups) before bringing the resolution back to committee in two weeks.
