A new training video for law enforcement released Thursday by the U.S. Justice Department advises officers on how to treat transgender people they encounter while performing their jobs.
The 12-minute video shows three scenarios of police interacting with the public. In one a police officer pulls over a driver for a non-functioning tail light. The driver's license indicates the driver is a male, but the person appears to be female.
"Do you prefer if I call you ma'am or sir?" the officer asks.
"Ma'am," the driver says, and the officer complies.
"I don't have to be in the room to know what just happened. Someone snickered, laughed or made, a joke," says Sgt. Brett Parson after the opening scene. "Trust me, I know. I'm a cop, too. As police officers, we use humor to deal with things that make us feel uncomfortable or afraid. To outsiders its perceived as unprofessional and disrespectful."
The video also defines the terms assigned sex, sexual orientation and gender identity and includes scenes of a person reporting an attack and a woman who calls police when a transgender person enters the women's restroom.
"Transgender Americans, like all Americans, deserve to be treated with courtesy and respect by law enforcement officers," says Acting Director Paul Monteiro of Justice Department’s Community Relations Service in a press release on the video.
"The information provided in this video will help strengthen the relationship between police and the transgender community, allowing for more effective investigations and safer encounters for officers and citizens alike."
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