In 'historic' move, Austin to host LGBTQI+ criminal justice conference
AUSTIN (KXAN) -- In August, Austin will be the first U.S. host of an international LGBTQI+ event.
It's the "World LGBTQI+ World Conference for Criminal Justice Professionals," and Sgt. Michael Wilmore-Crumrine with the Austin Police Department calls it "historic" that this event is coming to Austin.
"I started my police career 38 years ago," he said. "We have come such a long way. When I started my police career, I couldn't be my authentic self. I identify as a queer man, a gay man -- I was not able to do that when I started."
Wilmore-Crumrine is also the president of Austin's Lesbian and Gay Peace Officer's Association.
After attending the past LGBTQI+ criminal justice conferences, he was determined to bring the event to Austin, and got permission to do so from former Chief Joseph Chacon.
Past conferences have been held in Amsterdam, Toronto and Melbourne, Australia.
"We wanted to put together a world conference because we want to see where is this working well in other parts of the world, and where can we adapt those processes and procedures," Wilmore-Crumrine said.
The conference brings together members of the LGBTQI+ community that work in all spheres of criminal justice from law enforcement to attorneys to advocates.
"What are we doing within our own agencies to make this an attractive place for anybody who might be LGBTQI+ identifying to want to come and have a successful career," Wilmore-Crumrine said.
It's also about making sure the LGBTQI+ community is treated fairly throughout the criminal justice system.
"We're trying to be better. We're trying to learn, we're trying to change that because the vast majority of us that work in this profession want anybody who is touched by crime to be treated with the exact same dignity and respect that we all deserve," Wilmore-Crumrine said. "Hopefully all of this is so when we leave and go back to our agencies we're inspired to make these differences to the community overall is made better."
The conference will take place August 5-9 at the downtown Marriott.