By Albert H. Fulcher
Born in Woodland Hills, California, where he lived until he was 2 years old, Daniel Meyer’s entire family moved to San Diego in 1985 as his grandmother, Beverly, secured a job with IBM at the time. His mother, Cindy Meyer, who recently retired from the San Diego Police Department (SDPD) as a police detective and his father, who retired from the restaurant business and Transportation Security Administration, purchased a home in Santee in 1985. His family still lives in the house he grew up in, about 10 minutes from his current home.
“My family is and always has been a huge part of my life. My family believes in strong core family values and they truly raised me the right way and afforded me the opportunity to find the right path in life,” Meyer said.
Currently, the SDPD LGBT liaison officer, Lt. Daniel Meyer is highly visible locally, attending events and is now a public figure and familiar face as he works to ensure communication between the LGBTQ folk and that the SDPD remains at its highest standard. The highest-ranking gay man at the SDPD, Meyer shared his upbringing, his life as a police officer and his love and loyalty of the local LGBTQ community.
When did you decide to become a police officer and how did you wind up with the San Diego Police Department?
I knew from a very young age I wanted to be a police officer. The career path seemed rewarding and exciting to a young me. I believed it would provide an opportunity for me to have meaning in life in helping others and serving the San Diego community. I wanted to find a career path in which I could make a difference in the lives of those who were less fortunate than others or who might experience trauma and violence in their lives.
Additionally, I was truly in awe watching my mother go through the police academy and advance in her career when I was a teenager and young adult. She was a very strong woman who strove as well to make a difference and better her community. I was always eager to hear the stories of her workday and understand what she experienced in a tumultuous 10-hour shift. I attended several ride-alongs with her and experienced firsthand what it was like to be a police officer. I knew within the first hour of my first ride-along, this would be my profession.
Were you openly gay when you joined the SDPD? If so, what was the general reaction from your peers?
I was not openly gay when I first joined the SDPD. In fact, I did not tell anyone in the department of my sexual orientation until I had been in the department for two years. The first person I told in the department was my work partner, now Lt. Charles Lara. At the time, we were both police officers at Mid-City Division and had been partners for two years. I was terrified to come out or even tell Charles, but I felt like I was lying to someone I consider a true friend.
I created scenarios in my mind about all the things that could go wrong when I told Charles, or the rest of the department for that matter. However, what I was met with from both Charles and the rest of the department was sheer love and acceptance. I was floored to see the support I received, which shattered my personal beliefs of how my fellow brothers and sisters would judge or treat me. To this day, coming out and acknowledging who I am in my work environment was the most life-changing, freeing and blessed experience I have been through.
You are the LGBT liaison officer. How did this come about and why is this important to you?
Community liaisons have existed on the SDPD for many decades, mainly dating back to the 1980s. John Graham was the first LGBT liaison officer and his plaque still hangs in the LGBT Center to this day. Eight years ago, then-Assistant Chief Shelley Zimmerman and my captain at the time, Walter Vasquez (now chief of La Mesa Police Department) approached me. They cited some of the community engagement and community events I had participated in and asked if I would be interested in taking over the liaison position when the liaison at the time retired. I happily accepted the additional duties and have strived to better serve our LGBTQ+ community ever since.
Where do you believe we are now with the relationship between the SDPD and the LGBT community? How far have we come and are there still obstacles that need addressing?
We have come quite far. Community relations in all areas across the board with law enforcement in San Diego have been exceedingly positive and advanced over many years. We have made strides in community engagement, partnerships, support and understanding. We continue to do the great work that has brought us to this point, and we will continue to dedicate every available resource we have to continuing the effort. We ask the community to continue their effort to work with us and help us make the SDPD better each and every day.
But these accomplishments and advancements must also come with the acknowledgment that we are never perfect, and we must never stop trying for better. There is always work to be done to achieve greatness. We recognize we still face some mistrust of law enforcement due to the Stonewall-era events. There is still some fear in the community in coming forward to law enforcement and reporting crime or addressing community concern.
Bridging this particular gap is still a struggle. However we have worked with the LGBT Center and San Diego Pride to create a safe space for the community to report crime in a manner they feel comfortable. A large component of tackling this particular issue comes in the form of the chief’s LGBT Community Advisory Board. The board is made up of about 15 diverse members of the LGBT community who are stakeholders and actively participate in their community. We are currently in the process of creating a plan to make the board more visible and known to the community; so that individuals can utilize the board to facilitate the reporting of crime, help effect change and provide law enforcement with ideas on how to better quality of life as it relates to criminal activity in their neighborhoods.
As you mentioned, I was recently promoted to police lieutenant. I am truly honored and humbled to have been given this opportunity to serve San Diego communities at this level. Being the LGBT liaison and a San Diego police officer has given me the opportunity to give back to the community I grew up in and which supported me throughout my life. I appreciate the trust that has been instilled in me and I will make my community proud.
