Queer Under Watch: Why the Police Still Don’t Feel Safe for Our Community

For many in the LGBTQ+ community, the sight of police lights doesn’t just mean trouble—it brings a gut-level sense of dread that runs deeper than most straight, cisgender folks might ever imagine. A new report from the American Civil Liberties Union confirms these anxieties aren’t paranoia or ancient history—they’re backed by hard data and lived reality .

Despite decades of supposed progress and rainbow-wrapped outreach, LGBTQ+ people are still more likely to be stopped, searched, arrested, and even physically manhandled by police than non-LGBTQ+ people. The numbers are stark: nearly 20 percent of LGBTQ+ folks have experienced arrest, compared to just 13. 6 percent of non-LGBTQ+ people. For transgender people, that number rockets up to almost a third .

But these aren’t just statistics—they’re stories of humiliation, fear, and resilience that ripple through every Pride parade, every drag brunch, and every late-night walk home.

Emily Greytak of the ACLU doesn’t mince words: “The harassment and mistreatment of LGBTQ people by law enforcement is fueling a crisis of criminalization and mistrust. .. LGBTQ people are far less likely to have faith police will do anything but expose them to even more danger. Fifty-five years after the police raided the Stonewall Inn, this report finds how little has changed and what can be done moving forward to help ensure the safety and dignity of all members of the LGBTQ community” .

If you’re queer and thinking, “No wonder I hesitate to call the cops, ” you’re not alone. The study found that only 71 percent of LGBTQ+ people would consider calling the police for help, compared to nearly 87 percent of everyone else . And almost one in four LGBQ people said they would avoid law enforcement altogether, a number that should send chills down the spine of anyone who claims to care about community safety .

The problem isn’t spread evenly, either. Transgender, nonbinary, and bisexual people are especially vulnerable. More than a quarter of transgender people have experienced physical force from police, and nearly half have endured insulting language during police encounters . For Black transgender folks, the risks and reality of violence spike even higher .

Jordan Grasso, a doctoral candidate and co-author of the report, underscores the point: “Those who experience intersecting forms of marginalization stemming from their gender, sexual orientation, race and ethnicity, or socioeconomic status disproportionately continue to experience more negative interactions with the police” .

If all this sounds like a flashback to Stonewall, you’re not wrong. The relationship between LGBTQ+ people and the police has always been fraught, with moments of high drama and heartbreak. But while some urban police departments have rolled out sensitivity training and LGBTQ+ liaison officers, the underlying issues remain stubbornly persistent .

The modern landscape is littered with new laws that criminalize queer existence in less obvious—but no less destructive—ways. From anti-drag bills to the criminalization of medical care for transgender youth, and new ordinances targeting public sleeping or tent encampments , the legal net tightens around the most vulnerable in ways that echo the worst chapters of queer history .

And let’s not forget the enduring myth of police as impartial protectors. When your experience is one of being stopped, searched, insulted, or brutalized, “protect and serve” can feel more like a threat than a promise.

The ACLU report doesn’t just diagnose the problem—it offers a roadmap for change. Among the recommendations: ending aggressive arrest quotas, axing enforcement of consensual sex work laws, banning explicitly anti-LGBTQ+ language and gender-based frisking, and putting real teeth into community oversight of police .

Stefan Vogler, assistant professor of sociology at the University of Illinois, frames this as a call to action: “LGBTQ+ people have been largely absent from conversations about policing in the United States, despite a historically fraught relationship. .. Policing Progress reveals that this fraught relationship continues today and shows that LGBTQ+ people continue to face disproportionate mistreatment by the police compared with their non-LGBTQ+ peers. This report is a call to action for LGBTQ+ advocates, lawmakers, and law enforcement to improve the treatment of LGBTQ+ people throughout the criminal legal system” .

The message is clear: Queer safety can’t be an afterthought, and trust can’t be built on empty PR campaigns. It’s about dismantling systems that criminalize our existence, holding police accountable for misconduct, and ensuring that LGBTQ+ voices are at the table when decisions about public safety are made.

So what does all this mean for the queer community right now? First, it’s a reminder that Pride isn’t just a party—it’s a protest, and the fight for real safety goes on far beyond June. It’s also a call to keep sharing our stories, demanding better, and refusing to let anyone tell us that the world is “over” queerphobia, transphobia, or racism.

It means showing up for the most vulnerable in our family—trans women, especially Black and Brown trans women, queer folks experiencing homelessness, and anyone caught in systems not designed for their safety.

And perhaps most of all, it means holding onto hope and solidarity. Because every time we tell the truth about what’s happening—without apology or sugarcoating—we build the kind of community that can’t be policed into silence.