Liaisons and Services to the LGBTQ Community

Office of Equity and Community Engagement

The City of Eugene is committed to creating a city where everyone feels safe and welcome. Eugene City Council has adopted ordinances that include gender identity and sexual orientation as protected classes (City Code 4.613). The City Manager’s Office of Equity and Community (OECE) is tasked with strengthening partnerships with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community members, tracking hate and bias activities against the LGBTQ+ community, providing support services, and educating city staff and the local community on diversity and inclusion.

OECE is responsible for fielding discrimination complaints related to housing, employment, public access (including accessibility requests and grievances) and city contracts that occur within the City of Eugene.

The office also provides victim support and community response to hate and bias activity against the LGBTQ+ community.

Contact information

Melissa Cariño
Multicultural Liaison
Ph: 541-682-5619

Human Rights Commission

The City of Eugene Human Rights Commission (HRC) is tasked with advising City Council and staff on human rights policy, including protections to LGBTQ+ community members. The commission has created a work group focused on identifying and addressing needs of marginalized communities. The Whole Eugene Community United (WeCU work group) includes LGBTQ+ representatives and partners with local LGBTQ+ organizations to promote awareness and advocate for public services and spaces to be more inclusive of LGBTQ+ community members. HRC and WeCU meetings are open to the public.

Eugene Police Department

The Eugene Police Department has appointed a departmental LGBTQ+ liaison. The purpose of appointing a liaison is to facilitate law enforcement engagement with the LGBTQ+ community and reporting of potential hate crimes. Detective Chris White serves as the EPD’s LGBTQ+ liaison.

The position is based in EPD’s Investigation Division and focuses on the public safety needs of the LGBTQ+ community. The position’s goal is to help prevent and reduce incidents, and increase trust and collaboration that leads to the closure of hate and violent crime cases against LGBTQ+ community members. Additionally, the liaison collaborates with various police divisions and the Office of Equity and Community Engagement (OECE) to educate and assist officers, residents, businesses, and organizations about LGBTQ+ issues.

Contact information

To discuss non-emergency issues and current investigations, provide information, or request attendance at a meeting or event, please contact:

Detective Matthew Grover

EPD Liaison to LGBTQ+ Community

Special Investigations Unit - Eugene Police Department

300 Country Club Road, Eugene, Oregon 97401

(541) 682-6235 (work) (541) 521-5060 (cell)

E-mail: MGrover@eugene-or.gov

Eugene’s Municipal Equality Index

The Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index (MEI) demonstrates the ways that cities support LGBTQ+ people who live and work there. In 2020, the City of Eugene received the highest score, which demonstrates the City’s commitment to supporting LGBTQ+ community members and employees. Click here to see the City of Eugene's MEI scorecard.