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Spring 2019 Scholarship Recipient

Posted on by Greg Miraglia Posted in News and Announcements, Scholarship Recipients

Jessica Mayes graduated from the Police Academy in Norfolk, Virginia on July 17, 2019.  She is a graduate of Old Dominion University with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and a minor in Psychology.

“At first, I did not know exactly what I wanted to do so I explored my options. It wasn’t until I did a ride-a-long with a local police department that I realized I wanted to become a police officer. I tried to get into the department, and I was disqualified. I was hurt, lost, and did not know what I was going to do. I worked retail and food for a few years and then I had a life changing moment.

In August 2017, I was hit by a drunk driver in the middle of the afternoon on a Sunday. When I got out my vehicle and the man approached me, I could tell right away he was drunk. When the police officer arrived on scene, he wasn’t too happy to be dealing with an accident on a hot day. He was about to let the gentleman leave when I told him that I thought he was drunk. He went back over to the man and sure enough he was drunk. It also wasn’t his first DUI. After that, I knew I was meant to be a police officer so I tried again and got disqualified again.

I ran into an officer who worked for the Norfolk Police Department and he spoke very highly of his department. So I gave them a call. I am proud to say that I will be a Police Officer for the Norfolk Police Department in July 2019. I am looking forward to getting involved with my community and helping people on their worst days. It is exciting to work for a department that has my back as an LGBTQ woman and a city that has programs and events for individuals like me.”

 

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2018 Was A Big Year

Posted on by Greg Miraglia Posted in Commentary

Holiday Card

2018 has been one of our most successful years so far!  We are so proud of what we have accomplished and continue to be humbled by the support we receive from on sustaining donors and from those who provide an annual gift.  I hope this list of accomplishments will inspire and excite you as we move into 2019 and celebrate of our 10th anniversary!

  • Authored Assembly Bill 2504 To Provide LGBT Awareness Training For 90,000 California Law Enforcement Officers And 9-1-1 Dispatchers.  The Bill Was Signed Into Law By Governor Brown And Is Effective January 1, 2019.
  • Created A California Version Of Our Highly Successful Online LGBT Awareness For Law Enforcement Course.  We Partnered With The Napa Valley Criminal Justice Training Center And Obtained Califonria P.O.S.T. Certification.  We Completed A Successful Pilot Presentation And Received Very Positive Results.
  • Authored A Training For Trainers Instructor Guide For The LGBT Awareness For Law Enforcement Course And A Training For Trainers Class That Will Be Offered In Early 2019.
  • To Date, Members Of 39 Different Law Enforcement Agencies From Across The United States Have Taken Our Online LGBT Awareness For Law Enforcement Course.  Two Departments Had Us Create Customized Courses For Their Entire Department.
  • We Awarded One Out To Protect Scholarship And One Library Grant In 2018.
  • Our Out To Protect And Coming Out From Behind The Badge Online Resources Are Now Consolidated Into One Website With All Information And Funding Programs Available In One Space.

Our Goals For 2019

  • Secure Funding For An LGBT Law Enforcement Training Conference.
  • Provide LGBT Awareness Training For Any Law Enforcement Agency Desiring It In The United States.
  • Seek Out Two LGBTQ Role Models Pursuing A Law Enforcement Career And Support Them With A Scholarship.

You can help us celebrate our first decade of service and to realize our goals in 2019 by becoming a donor.  A monthly contribution of any amount helps.  No amount is too small to make a big difference.  Thank you for considering a donation to Out To Protect.   Click Here To Donate.

Greg Miraglia, Founder and CEO
Out To Protect Inc

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LGBT Awareness For California Law Enforcement

Posted on by Greg Miraglia Posted in Announcements, News and Announcements, Press Release

Out To Protect Partners With The
Napa Valley College Criminal Justice Training Center
LGBT Awareness For California Law Enforcement Online Course

LGBT Awareness For California Law Enforcement

We are pleased to announce the launch of our LGBT Awareness For California Law Enforcement online course in partnership with the Napa Valley College Criminal Justice Training Center!  This new online course meets the requirements of California Penal Code Section 13519.41, which specifies training for California peace officers and dispatchers on a variety of LGBTQ related issues.  This new course is certified to the Napa Valley Criminal Justice Training Center by the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training.  Participants receive 4 hours of CPT credit.

Law enforcement personnel can enter and complete the course at any time while the course is available.  Participants who pass the course will receive a course completion certificate.  The course can be started and stopped as needed.  Participants can complete course work from any computer or mobile device with Internet access.  The course is hosted on the Canvas learning management system and no special software is required.  (The free Canvas mobile app is required to access to course on a mobile pad or phone).

The LGBT Awareness For California Law Enforcement course includes the following five learning outcomes:

  • Explain the difference between sexual orientation and gender identity and how they relate to and intersect with race, religion, and culture.
  • Define terminology used to describe sexual orientation and gender identity.
  • Identify key moments in the LGBTQ+ civil rights movement.
  • Identify ways to create an inclusive workplace and to support LGBTQ+ co-workers.
  • Describe how hate crimes and domestic violence impact the LGBTQ+ community.

The cost of the course is $28.16.  Registration can be completed online 24/7.  Fees are non-refundable.  Once registered, students will receive access to the course and can being training immediately.  Training managers can register students and provide access to employees as needed.

The Napa Valley College Criminal Justice Training Center is also offering face-to-face versions of this training onsite at Calfornia law enforcement agencies.  The cost of the course is dependent on travel costs.  For more information, please call the trianing center at 707-256-7700.

A training for trainers course is also being developed for agencies wishing to have their own in-house trainers.  Participants in this trianing for trainers will receive a complete training package that includes course outlines, lesson plans, PowerPoints, and learning activities.  We will send out another notification once the date is set for this 8-hour course.

Learn More:

Click Here To Download A Course Flier For The Online LGBT Awareness For California Law Enforcement course

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LGBT Awareness Training Comes To California

Posted on by Greg Miraglia Posted in AB 2504 LGBT Awareness For Law Enforcement, Announcements, Press Release, Training


Today, California Governor Jerry Brown made history by enacting the first state law to provide LGBTQ awareness training for law enforcement officers and dispatchers.  Effective January 1, 2019, section 13519.41 will be added to the California Penal Code as follows:

Section 13519.41

(a) The commission shall develop and implement a course of training regarding sexual orientation and gender identity minority groups in this state. In developing the training, the commission shall consult with sexual orientation and gender identity minority members of law enforcement and the community who have expertise in the area of sexual orientation and gender identity, including at least one male, one female, and one transgender person.
(b) The course of training for officers and dispatchers described in subdivision (a) shall be incorporated into the course or courses of basic training for law enforcement officers and dispatchers and shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
(1) The difference between sexual orientation and gender identity and how these two aspects of identity relate to each other and to race, culture, and religion.
(2) The terminology used to identify and describe sexual orientation and gender identity.
(3) How to create an inclusive workplace within law enforcement for sexual orientation and gender identity minorities.
(4) Important moments in history related to sexual orientation and gender identity minorities and law enforcement.
(5) How law enforcement can respond effectively to domestic violence and hate crimes involving sexual orientation and gender identity minorities.
(c) Law enforcement officers, administrators, executives, and dispatchers may participate in supplementary training that includes all of the topics described in this section. The supplementary training shall fulfill the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training requirements for continuing professional training and shall include facilitated discussions and learning activities, including scenario training exercises. Additional training courses to update this instruction shall be established as deemed necessary by the commission.

In anticipation of the passage of this law, we have created course curriculum that can be delivered in a face-to-face or online format.  Both formats of the course have been certified by the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) through the Napa Valley College Criminal Justice Training Center.  We will be working with the San Jose Police Department and Napa Valley Criminal Justice Training Center to provide a training for trainers in order to make this curriculum available to any agency wishing to use it.

We are grateful to Assembly Member Evan Low, who sponsored this bill, and to Governor Brown for signing it.  We were honored to be part of the writing of this Bill.  We believe this training will give law enforcement the culture competence necessary to better service members of the LGBTQ community, including all sexual orientation and gender identity minority residents of California.

We strongly encourage law enforcement executives and training managers to begin providing this training immediately.  To learn more about the offerings of this training, go to www.nvccjtc.org and select Advanced Officer Training.

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Spring 2018 Scholarship Recipient

Posted on by Greg Miraglia Posted in Scholarship Recipients

John Corsi has spent his life working to serve and help others in need. After high school he began attending college and worked as a consultant focusing on security issues and investigations. After working overseas he took a management position in a program where he worked extensively with American law enforcement officers. He was impressed with the passion, dedication, and professionalism that seemed to be universal among them. The impression he was left with led him to make a career change; wanting to go where he could be surrounded by people with those same values and ethics he chose local law enforcement. Seeing this as a new opportunity to serve and help those in need, he started with the Norfolk Police Department’s Basic Law Enforcement Academy in June 2017, continuing training until a Defensive Tactics injury left him unable to train further. Following surgery John was detailed to units of the Norfolk Police Department where he could support the department’s operations while completing physical therapy. After a rapid recovery and with the overwhelming support of his Academy instructors, John returned to the next session of Norfolk’s Basic Law Enforcement Academy. John served as a leader in the class and completed the Academy with high rankings for marksmanship and academics, graduating on July 5, 2018. He is proud to be one of many gay men who make up the larger LGBT community within his department and his city.  He knows the calling of law enforcement will allow him to help others and serve his community, but he also knows it will give him a unique opportunity to connect with and support the LGBT people of his city.

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