About the PBSO LGBTQ Liaison Program
The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office is committed to the safety and welfare of all citizens, including our Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning (LGBTQ) residents and visitors. The Sheriff’s Office also recognizes the LGBTQ community is vulnerable to unprovoked acts of violence and harassment. Based on that fact, PBSO implemented an LGBTQ Liaison Unit. This unit is comprised of volunteers from both the civilian and sworn sectors of the agency.
Our Liaison Deputies are available to work with community members, business owners, and visitors in the following areas:
- Work as a single point of contact between the Sheriff’s Office and the LGBTQ community.
- Work with all units of the Sheriff’s Office that request assistance in identifying with LGBTQ citizens and addressing their concerns.
- Assist and advise, as needed, with the Sheriff’s Office leadership on cases involving the LGBTQ community or LGBTQ issues.
- Provide a forum for the LGBTQ community to express concerns regarding crimes directed against the LGBTQ community.
- Meet with and provide a forum for business owners, community groups, and individuals of the LGBTQ community, and present information on relevant law enforcement issues.
- Collaborate with community leaders, businesses, and residents to design and implement public safety projects and programs to increase and improve the safety of the LGBTQ community.
- Facilitate an overall open relationship between the LGBTQ community and the Sheriff’s Office.
In 2024, the Liaison Unit was awarded a grant from the US Department of Justice to implement the Safe Place Initiative in Palm Beach County. This program is in partnership with Seattle Police Department, who started the program in 2015 to establish safe places for LGBTQ hate crime victims. It has since grown to include victims of all hate crimes and harassment.
A fundamental right guaranteed by the Constitution is equal protection under the law. Everyone is entitled to be free from crime and PBSO is charged with protecting these rights for all citizens of Palm Beach County, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, familial status, marital status, or sexual orientation.
PBSO’s Safe Place Initiative has been established to provide victims of hate crimes a safe location to seek assistance.
Under this program, businesses, organizations, and community members have the opportunity to visibly display an easily identifiable “Safe Place” decal, assuring any victim of a hate crime that the location is a safe space for someone to seek shelter, as the Sheriff’s Office is contacted.
Contact the members of the PBSO LGBTQ Liaisons Unit :
lgbtqliaisons@pbso.org
Quick Tips
- Your location: 911 Operator will confirm your location.
- Your injuries: 911 Operator will call medics while talking with you.
- What was said: Tell the 911 operator and the responding officer if the suspect(s) used words to indicate a hate crime.
- If you meet someone: Tell your friends where you’re going and describe the person you’re with.
- If your date begins to stalk or harass you: Tell them clearly to stop. If they don’t, call 911.
- Know your date: Try to find out as much about your date as possible.
- Be aware of your surroundings.
- Try and walk in well-lit areas, with other people around.
- Walk in groups, or with others nearby.
Meet our Liaisons
This project was supported, in whole or in part, by federal award number 15JCOPS-24-GG-02552-PPSE awarded to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. The opinions contained herein are those of the author(s) or contributor(s) and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. References to specific individuals, agencies, companies, products, or services should not be considered an endorsement by the author(s), contributor(s), or the U.S. Department of Justice. Rather, the references are illustrations to supplement discussion of the issues. The Internet references cited in this publication were valid as of the date of publication. Given that URLs and websites are in constant flux, neither the author(s) nor the COPS Office can vouch for their current validity.
