Justin Markiewicz has been an officer with the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, DC since May of 2006. In 2010 he was detailed to the Gay and Lesbian Liaison Unit. From 2010 to 2015 Justin worked closely with members of the LGBT community to ensure they received equal police services. In 2015 he was selected as a Capital Pride Hero for his work with the LGBT community.
In 2014 Justin was forced to file a complaint against the Captain who managed the Gay and Lesbian Liaison Unit for repeated homophobic remarks. The police department failed to respond correctly and immediately after he made his complaint Justin began to be retaliated against. He was denied overtime, subjected to unfair discipline, and suspended. MPD failed to properly investigate the homophobic remarks Justin was subjected to and as many as 8 months after the complaint the Police Department was continuing to refer to Justin as the same homophobic name on official police documents. Ultimately Justin was forced to leave the Gay and Lesbian Liaison Unit and return to patrol in the 6th Police District in September 2015.
This is not the first time this has happened. As we speak, Officer Christopher Lilly is also in a legal fight with the Metropolitan Police Department because they did not address the anti-LGBT harassment and discrimination he experienced from the MPD. This has to stop
Currently Justin is in a costly legal battle with the Police Department. Ultimately he hopes that at the end of the battle MPD will take complaints made my LGBT officers seriously and protect them from future retaliation and harassment.
Justin has already had to pay for thousands of dollars of legal expenses out of his own pocket, not to mention lost work time. He can’t continue this fight without you. Now is the time to stand with Justin.
As friends of Justin we are coming together to show him our support. As members of the LGBT community we greatly appreciate the sacrifices Justin has made. By standing up for himself, he is standing up for all LGBT officers and for all of us who strive for equal opportunities for everyone in the District of Columbia.
Please join us in supporting Officer Justin Markiewicz .
