Boise's LGBT liaison officer works to help community

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — The Boise Police Department has appointed Idaho's first officer to act as a liaison with the LGBT community.

The Idaho Statesman (http://bit.ly/1TaAnEI ) reports that the police department appointed patrol officer Dan Lister nearly a year ago.

Police Chief Bill Bones says he created the position to alleviate mistrust of police, particularly among those hesitant to report crimes for fear of poor police treatment.

Activists have been fighting for more than a decade to persuade lawmakers to add the words "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" in Idaho's Human Rights Act. The law already bans discrimination based on race, sex, color, religion and national origin in situations like housing or employment.

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Information from: Idaho Statesman, http://www.idahostatesman.com

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The Gayly - 5/1/2016 @ 3:02 p.m. CDT