(Washington, DC) The Office of Police Complaints (OPC) was one of six recipients of the 2008 Distinguished Service Award recently presented by the Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance (GLAA).  The organization’s vice president for political affairs, Richard J. Rosendall, presented OPC with the award during GLAA’s 37th anniversary reception on April 17.

According to GLAA, OPC has, through “its difficult work … brought expertise, integrity, and a commitment to fairness to all – not just those who file complaints, but those against whom they are filed, and the wider community from both which both are drawn.”  GLAA also noted during the ceremony that OPC staff members have “shown patience, persistence, thoroughness and scrupulousness in pursuing their mission.”

Accepting the award on behalf of OPC was executive director Philip K. Eure, who said, “We are very honored by GLAA’s recognition.  The group was instrumental in the creation of our agency and continues to play an important role in supporting our efforts in Washington, DC, to promote greater police accountability and improve confidence in the police.” 

OPC and its governing body, the Police Complaints Board, opened their doors to the public in 2001 following extensive advocacy by the NAACP – MPD Criminal Justice Task Force, a coalition that includes the American Civil Liberties Union of the National Capital Area, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the National Black Police Association, and GLAA.

GLAA is a local organization focused on advancing the rights and interests of gay people in the District of Columbia.  The organization is the nation’s oldest continuously active organization advocating for the civil rights of gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender people.