Mission Statement: 
“Serve as an advisory committee that elevates the voice of the diverse realities and lived experiences of the LGBTQ+ community, offering suggestions to further the effectiveness of the Palm Springs Police Department’s commitment to diversity.”

Purpose: 
The PSPD LGBTQ+ Outreach Committee is committed to representing and engaging the diverse realities of LGBTQ+ people across gender, race, class, disability, language, citizenship, marginalized communities, status, and other intersectional identities when it comes to policing in the City of Palm Springs, and bringing direct feedback to the Palm Springs Police Department.

An outstanding example of the diverse volunteer groups working with the Palm Springs Police Department is the PSPD LGBTQ+ Outreach Committee. Because the LGBTQ+ resident population and tourism industry is an important demographic in Palm Springs, the Department has a long history of collaboration and cooperation with LGBTQ+ citizens. One of the more important but less well-known of our Department’s many volunteer opportunities, the LGBTQ+ Outreach Committee is the perfect fit with our philosophy of partnering with the community to fight crime and improve the quality of life in our beautiful city. 

The PSPD LGBTQ+ Outreach Committee was formed in 2001 in response to a series of assaults and robberies of gay men in the Warm Sands area. Because the suspects were targeting gay men, the crimes were obviously motivated by bias – in other words - Hate Crimes. Community members approached the department and requested that an ad-hoc group be formed to alert the members of the gay community and to begin to provide education on how to avoid becoming a victim, what to do if you became a victim, how to report a hate crime, and to lessen the reluctance that some people have to report such crimes. 

A series of community meetings were held to discuss these topics. The committee grew from there, and some of the original members are still active contributors. The current membership draws from motivated citizens and sworn officers and civilian employees of the Department, including several acknowledged leaders on LGBTQ+ issues in our community. The Committee meets monthly to dialogue on LGBTQ+ topics and issues, including changes in law and legislation. 

Some of the committee’s accomplishments include: 

• The development of the hate crimes wallet card – shared with businesses and hotels
• Town Hall Meetings to discuss current LGBTQ+ topics
• Joint community meetings with the Anti-Defamation League, LGBTQ+ leaders and law enforcement
• Presentation to the Palm Springs Human Rights Commission and City government
• Presentations to local school districts including students of the Gay/Straight Alliance
• Media presentations including broadcast media and editorial articles
• The review of LGBTQ+ related policies and training
• Recruitment efforts and appearances at Pride events
• Consultation on security issues at celebrations and rallies  

Newly hired PSPD officers are provided an introduction to crimes affecting the LGBTQ+ community. With equity in mind, all personnel are required to attend Cultural Diversity and Racial Bias training every five years. Personnel are tested monthly on department policies, which include the following sections of the PSPD Policy Manual:  

                Section 315 – Discriminatory Harassment

                Section 320 – Hate Crimes

                Section 401 – Biased Based Policing

                Section 432 – Interaction with Transgender Diverse Individuals

                Section 903 – Prison Rape Elimination 

To obtain more information about the PSPD LGBTQ+ Outreach Committee, please contact: Lieutenant Gustavo Araiza at 760-323-8109.