Members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Ally Alliance are working closely with the Department of Public Safety to safeguard against unwanted harassment because of sexual orientation.

Through a liaison program lead by Victor Raymond, the Alliance is working with DPS to make sure officers are conscious of LGBT needs.

“Basically, the program we have gotten off the ground is training for DPS to make sure the officers know there are LGBTAA issues,” said Sarah Schweitzer, president of the Alliance. “Sometimes [gay and lesbian students] don’t feel comfortable talking to officers about harassment or with outing themselves to someone they don’t know.”

Schweitzer, sophomore in history and women’s studies, said there are very few incidents of harassment at Iowa State, but she — along with other members of the Alliance — wants to take precautions to make sure more problems do not occur.

“It has happened in larger cities where officers refuse to help someone who is LGBTAA,” she said. “It’s very, very rare, but it does happen, and we don’t want that to happen at Iowa State.”

Aside from officers refusing their help in larger cities, Schweitzer said officials also have to be aware of battering and harassment that happens to LGBTAA members from non-LGBTAA members.

“Just this weekend a good friend of mine was surrounded by 10 drunk men, and she was verbally harassed because she’s a lesbian,” she said. “DPS or anyone may not have the training to say, ‘This is a bad thing.'”

Jerry Stewart, associate director of DPS, said his department sends a clear message that harassment based on discrimination of any kind is not tolerated.

“We have a department policy pertaining to the response and investigation of hate crimes,” he said. “No group or person should have to tolerate abuses based upon their race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, political affiliation, gender, sexual orientation, age or disability.”

Stewart said Iowa’s hate crime law is based on a penalty-enhancement concept and applies to assault, arson, criminal trespass and criminal mischief.

Schweitzer said the liaison program was established after DPS approached the Alliance.

“DPS in the past has always done a good job with LGBTAA issues. We are just taking one more step to make sure they have training,” she said. “We’re making sure that slim chance of something going wrong will not happen.”

Although the training for officers has not started, the liaison program has been underway since the beginning of the academic year.

“I am creating a comfort zone for members of the Alliance,” said Alton Poole, DPS patrol officer and Alliance liaison. “We are basically a familiar face, someone they can feel comfortable talking to if they have any issues.”

Poole said DPS is trying to be more proactive in the community.

“The Alliance could be a targeted group, and because of that, we like to communicate to them that hate crimes will not be tolerated and to report anything they don’t feel comfortable with,” he said.

Poole added the Alliance is interested in giving officers sensitivity training. The training will be open to all law enforcement officials in the county.

“Sensitivity training increases awareness and gives other officers a chance to see who they are surveying,” Poole said.

Schweitzer said it is frustrating to be pestered simply for one’s beliefs, but that will not stop her from sticking to them.

“It’s unnerving to be harassed just because you have a rainbow flag on your backpack or a gay bumper sticker [on your car],” she said. “I can take it. I am proud enough of who I am; I am not going to have a bully telling me who I can and cannot love.”