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Southern Voice
                                                May 20, 1993
copied with permission from Southern Voice

               FT. LAUDERDALE SHERIFF BANS BIAS AGAINST GAYS

  Ft. Lauderdale, FL--Broward County's sheriff has banned harassment or
hiring discrimination against gays, making his department one of the
few-if not the only-to take such action in Florida.

  Tom Berlinger, spokesman for the Florida Sheriffs Association, said he
was unaware of any other department taking such action, although some
city police departments prohibit anti-gay bias.

  Broward Sheriff Ron Cochran's staff directive states the department
will be an equal opportunity employer without regard to race, religion,
sexual orientation, age, creed and other factors.

  Dennis Delia, president of GUARD-Gays United to Attack Repression and
Discrimination-applauded Cochran for being the first Florida sheriff to
afford gays such protection.

  "That statement to us was a beacon of hope in what is otherwise a sad
state of affairs in the state of Florida," Delia said.

  Until now, gay and lesbian employees of the sheriff's office have
feared retribution if their sexual orientation became known. Delia said.
 Now "they don't have to be afraid anymore."

  He mentioned a May 1991 event in which Cochran predecessor Nick
Navarro had TV cameras and a visiting Russian police chief join him and
deputies as they swept into two gay bars to serve four arrest warrants.

  Cochran's anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policy comes as his
administration responds to allegations that his chief of staff, Charles
Barnes, sexually harassed women when he worked in Navarro's
administration, and to complaints by several Jewish employees that they
were terminated by Cochran because of their religion.

  Meanwhile, Cochran has nearly revamped the department's Equal
Employment Opportunity office, which tries to resolve internal
complaints of discrimination and sexual harassment.