TPD boss Revell reacts to the community in the LGBTQ + advisory board of the mayor

TALLAHASSEE, Florida (WTXL) – “TPD is there for you and that is every single person in our community … we have to have difficult conversations if we are to advance our community.”

Moving Tallahassee forward … that’s what the LGBTQ + Advisory Board did on Monday night …
Calling Police Chief Lawrence Revell to deliver his speech at a law enforcement recognition retreat by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Some in the community call this association anti-LGBTQ. The chief says he attended the event to support officers and their families. Revell replied,

“It’s like I said at the beginning, I want us as a community to have these conversations that I’ve been saying since I was chief.”

The meeting for Monday was called after the community’s outcry over the boss’s appearance at the association. On Friday, Franklin Graham, President and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association told ABC 27:

“We love gays and I want them to know the same truth that changed my life – God loves us.”

Despite this reaction, several local interest groups have called for Chief Revell to step down. Including the Tallahassee Community Action Committee (TCAC). TCAC member Delilah Pierre said:

“We want a real apology and we want to enter that this is a matter of ethics.”

Jon Harris Maurer is a member of the LGBTQ + Advisory Council. Mason added

“I think a lot of trust and confidence has been lost from the LGBTQ community and I don’t think we restored that, but I think there is still a long way to go.”

Other community members fully support the chief and say he accepts LGBTQ + workers. Sharyn Kerwin came to Monday’s meeting to stand up for the chief. Kerwin said

“A lot of his staff and some of the community really believe he’s doing a great job and treating everyone fairly and equally, with no bias.”

Chief Revell says Tallahassee Police attend diversity training every year and want the community to …

“We can have these conversations and disagree about things, and that doesn’t mean we have to be enemies.”

The council plans to have further discussions in the future to address these issues and wants to hear from everyone in the fellowship at its monthly meetings.

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