The Minneapolis Police Department adopted a new transgender policy, with an emphasis on using correct pronouns with transgender citizens.
While no single event led to the new policy, Chief Janeé Harteau claimed it was time for the officers to educate themselves, reports Fox 9.
“It’s to educate ourselves. As we have a growing population we need to make sure we can respectfully and serve every member of our community to our full capability,” Harteau said.
A big part of the policy seems to concern addressing transgenders by the proper pronouns. If an officer doesn’t know what pronouns to use, they should ask.
“We begin to have a level of respect that begins with ‘my name is, my pronoun is,’ and the officer accepting that and taking that cue as the first lead in of respect and ‘now I’m going to get to know you,’”said Roxanne Anderson, a community organizer.
Department officials, along with some local advocacy groups, conjointly wrote the new policy. One part of the policy dictates that when it comes to any search beyond a frisk or a pat-down, transgender people can request what gender they want searching them.
Also, officers can’t stop and frisk people to try and figure out what gender they are. The department also appointed an officer from its community engagement team to serve as a link between transgenders and the police.
“You are our friends, you are our family. You are our community, you are our neighbors. We are proud to stand with you and we are proud to stand for you in the work that we do in the city of Minneapolis,” said Mayor Betsy Hodges.
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