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Friday, July 25, 2008
The Gay & Lesbian Liaison Unit of D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department has had several recent personnel changes.
Sgt. Tania Bell, the unit’s supervisor, was moved to another department. It is not known when she’ll return. Officer Dustin Nevel was promoted to sergeant and transferred to the Second Police District. Two other officers have taken time off because of family illnesses. Volunteer Buck Jeppson and his partner, Mike Kessler, moved away. Matt Ashburn was accepted into the department’s Reserve Corps and is at police academy.
The GLLU is being staffed by acting Sgt. Joseph Morquecho, a 19-year MPDC veteran, Officer Zunnobia Hakir, Officer Juanita Foreman and Officer Kevin Johnson, Jr. Sterling Spangler is still volunteer services coordinator and is leading a volunteer staff of four.
The unit is still available around the clock on its pager at 1-877-495-5995.
The following calls were reported in the last two weeks. The GLLU’s involvement in a call does not mean anyone involved was necessarily gay or transgender.
• A vehicle was stolen in the 1500 block of 15th Street, N.W., on July 14. A man reported the theft of his 1996 Chrysler Sebring convertible, bearing a D.C. registration of CY7206. The car had not been recovered as of press time.
• A large fight erupted at the intersection of 9th and U streets, N.W., on July 18 about 3:30 a.m. Staff at Nellie’s Sports Bar, a gay business nearby, told police a large group outside was fighting with sticks, chains and bicycle locks. The group fled the scene prior to police arrival so no victims were located.
• A gay Latino man was sexually assaulted at knife-point by his boyfriend in the Petworth neighborhood. The date of the incident was not given but was reported by a third party on Saturday who told police the victim feared contacting police because he feared retribution from the attacker.
Police convinced the victim to meet with members of the GLLU and the Latino Liaison Unit. The alleged attacker is a member of a Latino gang, police said. The victim told police the attacker said he would kill the victim and members of his family if the victim contacted police. The victim was treated for minor injuries and given shelter. The incident is being investigated by members of the Metro Police Department’s Sexual Assault Unit. No charges have been filed.
• A man who’d been considering suicide on a third-floor ledge at George Washington University Medical Center along New Hampshire Avenue. and 23rd Street fell shortly after deciding not to jump on Monday about 4:10 p.m. The man partially landed on an inflatable mattress police had set up but also partially hit concrete. He was admitted to the hospital in serious condition.
• A transgender woman was charged with unlawful entry at a Greyhound Bus Terminal on First and L streets, N.E., on July 13 about 1 a.m. An off-duty Metro police officer recognized the woman, whom police did not identify, and knew she’d been barred from the bus terminal previously.
• A lesbian was charged with assault for attacking her ex-girlfriend who was trying to move out of the residence they’d shared on July 12 about 9:30 p.m. Police found the victim suffering from a laceration to the head. The suspect, whom police said threw the other woman into a wall, was still at the scene. The victim refused medical treatment.
• A man was found dead in his apartment on the 1400 block of Massachusetts Ave., N.W., on July 5. Brett Williams, 27, was pronounced dead at George Washington University Medical Center. Staff there called police to report the death. There was no sign of trauma or foul play.
• A man was robbed and assaulted on July 12 about 2:45 a.m. in the area of 7 and Q streets, N.W. The man said he’d hugged a male friend on the street when he was approached by multiple black males who called him a homophobic name. The man’s bag and money were stolen and he suffered a possible broken jaw. A member of the GLLU took him to a local hospital. The suspects fled the scene prior to police arrival. The suspects were described as black males in their 20s about 6 feet tall. One was wearing blue jeans and a white T-shirt and had dreadlocks. The second was wearing blue jeans and a green shirt. He had a short buzzed haircut. No other descriptions were available.
• Three lesbians were charged with assault for a fight on July 8 about 3:30 a.m. on Fessenden Street, N.W. All three suffered minor injuries. Two were dating. The third was the ex of one of the women. All three claimed to have been attacked by the others.
• A man was charged with assault and drug possession in relation to an incident that occurred on July 10 about 9 p.m. on a bus on North Capitol Street, N.E. Police said the man, whom they did not identify, attacked an openly gay man for no apparent reason by grabbing him from behind and punching him in the face. The suspect was detained by other bus riders until police arrived. He had a small amount of marijuana in his possession, police said.
Anyone who has been the victim of a crime or has knowledge of a crime is encouraged to contact the GLLU on its 24-hour pager at 1-877-495-5995. Visit the GLLU online at www.gllu.org.
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