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In doing so we aim to motivate our members to achieve a higher degree of efficiency in the discharge of their duties as law enforcement and criminal justice professionals.
While the Gay Officers Action League is a positive force within the LGBTQ community, it is also instrumental in attempting to change homophobic attitudes in the workplace and in the community at large.
NYPD fumes over gay officers’ group’s ‘disgraceful’ exclusion from Pride March
The NYPD was left feeling blue after a contingent of officers was again excluded from Sunday’s Pride March through Manhattan.
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch and the Gay Officers Action League (GOAL) stood in protest at the colorful celebration on Sunday, fuming that LGBTQ+ members of the department were once again prohibited from walking the route in uniform.
Standing alongside the parade route on 20th Street and 5th Avenue, Tisch joined the GOAL contingent, which has been banned from marching since 2021 in the wake of the George Floyd protests the previous year.
“We think it’s quite disgraceful and a height of hypocrisy to exclude us,” Chell said. We provide a safe environment for a group of people who have been and continue to be, victims of harassment and discrimination in the workplace.
About Us
The Gay Officers Action League (GOAL), is a first-of-its-kind organization that was formed in 1982 to address the needs, issues, and concerns of gay and lesbian law enforcement personnel and has since expanded to a nonprofit tax-exempt civil rights organization.
It creates friction and fiction.”
Heritage of Pride said in a statement following the police briefing it rejected GOAL from marching because the law enforcement group wanted its officer to march with “the concealed carry of their firearm.”
“GOAL, the Gay Officers Action League, asked for an exception to our weapon policy so their members could march in their full dress uniforms – which includes the concealed carry of their firearm,” a Pride spokesperson said.
GOAL furthers its mission by providing training at the NY Police Academy and Jersey City Police Department, among others.
Our organization provides an arena for members to discuss their needs and concerns in a comfortable atmosphere without fear of job-related reprisals.
Mayor Eric Adams said at the briefing he doesn’t understand the logic.
“I truly support what GOAL is pushing for,” Hizzoner said.
But in the meantime, for the millions of people around here celebrating pride, it’s a nice day. “The organizers made this decision, members of the LGBTQ+ community and the city — they are not making that decision.”
Tisch, during briefing mainly focused on security, said there are no known, credible threats to the parade that is set to start at 11 a.m.
She said her department has been working with law enforcement partners and organizers to keep attendees safe. This was the first year when things were being revisited, that we felt that there was genuine, meaningful conversations. GOAL was founded by Charles Henry "Charlie" Cochrane, Jr. (August 5, 1943–May 5, 2008) a sergeant of the New York City Police Department, who after delivering a public testimony on anti-gay discrimination legislation pending before the New York City Council, became the first openly gay officer of the NYPD.
We have absolutely no ill will towards New York City Pride.
“GOAL, the Gay Officers Action League, asked for an exception to our weapon policy so their members could march in their full dress uniforms – which includes the concealed carry of their firearm,” a Heritage of Pride spokesperson said. It is about making us invisible, not making others safer.”
Tisch said she had “productive” talks with Heritage of Pride ahead of the parade, but at the “11th hour” she was told cops could not march in uniform two weeks ago.
“I was shocked,” she said, adding organizers did not provide a reason for the prohibition.
“A march that ironically celebrates inclusivity, visibility and these officers standing behind me, who have been pillars of police reform in the community for decades have been excluded and told that they are not welcome to march in the uniform that they wear, plain and simple.”
The parade organizers say they left GOAL out of the march because they do not want officers to carry weapons along the route.
In an interview with amNewYork, NYPD Chief of Department John Chell called the exclusion disgraceful. or related events this weekend. “Our membership voted this year to continue our policy for all marchers without any exceptions for GOAL or other organizations.”
Cops are pushing back against this, arguing that law enforcement officers assigned to protect elected officials who participated in Sunday’s march have concealed guns with them anyway.
We keep them all safe.”
Detective Brian Downey, President of the Gay Officers Action League New York, said that he feels Pride is about inclusion and not feeling ashamed of who one is or what one does for a living.
“For me, it was the most liberating experience that I ever had in my life when I got to stand up and tell society that I’m here and I’m working inside the system,” Downey said.
“Our membership voted this year to continue our policy for all Marchers without any exceptions for GOAL or other organizations.”
Downey, of GOAL, dismissed that rationale because he said police officers are mandated to carry a concealed firearm when in full uniform.
“Armed NYPD Officers will still be present, just not visible as the Gay Officers Action League,” he said in a statement late Friday afternoon.
“This makes the decision about optics and not safety.
We had some conversations that ultimately were not meaningful.