On Saturday, May 22, 2021, more than 50 members of the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office and their families will be participating in the 6th Annual Tampa Pride Diversity Parade.
In 2018, Sheriff Chad Chronister made history as the first Hillsborough County Sheriff to join the parade. This year, to mark the return of the parade after last year's event was canceled because of COVID-19, Sheriff Chronister is proud to officially announce the implementation of the agency's LGBTQ Liaison program.
Here at HCSO, we want to model the community that we serve and show citizens we are like them in every way. We want to foster an environment of acceptance, both internally and externally.
Lt. Lee Garfield and Lt. Michele Polk will lead the way as the two liaisons making sure there is an open and active conversation with community members, church groups, and schools. The hope is to educate all citizens and provide resources to at-risk youth, many of whom identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer. Lt. Garfield and Lt. Polk also want to provide information on how and where to report hate crimes. As the LGBTQ liaisons, they will serve as the point of contact between HCSO and the LGBTQ community. They will coordinate and provide a forum for local law enforcement agencies, schools, businesses, and community groups regarding relevant law enforcement issues. They will also serve as a resource to families who have questions or need guidance.
"We are lucky to live in a community like Hillsborough County that has so much diversity," said Sheriff Chad Chronister. "There are so many opportunities to learn and grow from one another. This new liaison program will be a two-way street between the LGBTQ community and the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. All of us here at HCSO look forward to building an even stronger bond with our community members."
In 2019, HCSO updated its anti-discrimination policy to include both transgender and sexual orientation.
The mission of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office LGBTQ Liaison program will be to continuously strive to promote awareness of LGBTQ issues while working to evoke change in the perceptions and treatment of LGBTQ persons and to defend the community while preserving the rights and dignity of all.
Sheriff Chronister and the LGBTQ Liaisons released a video about the program, and it can be viewed here. It features the story of Sgt. Wes Kostelnik, who is the first openly transgender person at the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.