New Jersey Introduces New Guidelines For Police Interactions With Transgender People
MERCER COUNTY, N.J. (CBS) -- New Jersey's attorney general announced new rules for police when they interact with transgender people on Wednesday. The new guidelines from Gurbir Grewal include addressing people by their chosen name and pronoun even if that is not on official records.
"No one should be afraid about interacting with police because of their sexual orientation or their gender identity," Grewal said. "That is why our law enforcement community, which proudly includes LGBTQ officers among our ranks, is committed to building trust with our LGBTQ residents. Building on the extraordinary work of law enforcement agencies across this country and right here in New Jersey, we're ensuring that our officers will act in ways that promote the dignity and safety of LGBTQ individuals, whether they are victims, witnesses, suspects, arrestees, or other members of the public. Only by having the trust of our diverse communities can we fulfill our mission of protecting all New Jersey residents."
All officers in the state will be trained on the new rules by June 1.
The attorney general made the announcement on Transgender Day of Remembrance.