Police training materials on sex crimes spark outrage


Some activists say they are offended by materials used to train Atlanta police officers regarding sex crimes and investigations.
 
They say the material is outdated, derogatory and offensive.

>> Read more trending stories 
 
"This shouldn't be allowed to exist in 2015," said Dan Grossman, a local attorney who discovered the slides. "It is just appalling that they are teaching officers that certain adult intimate actions are criminal."
 
In one slide, transsexual is defined as a "disturbance of gender identity in which a person feels a lifelong discomfort with her/her own sex and a compelling to be of the opposite sex."
 
Another slide defines sodomy as an "unnatural sex act." It also states that sodomy has a punishment of 1-20 years in prison.  
 
Atlanta police explained that while they do not make arrests for sodomy, the law is still on the books in Georgia.
 
"Racial segregation could still be on the books. It doesn't matter. When the Supreme Court strikes down a law that is no longer a law. They are teaching something that is not the law," Grossman said.
 
"I was pretty offended and surprised that the police department would be using outdated and really offensive (materials) to train officers," said Matt Hennie, the founder of Project Q, who posted the slides on his blog.
 
Atlanta police released this statement: "When this training course was created, it was based upon state-mandated training materials as well as information gathered from other police agencies. It is currently under review and will be updated. The Atlanta Police Department's LGBT liaisons will be involved in this process."
 
"We are to be equitable and unbiased. You can't use directed adjectives and expect someone to think this is unbiased training. Let's hope they are making changes,' said Ken Allen, president of the Atlanta police union.

“This shouldn’t exist and a lot of people had their eyes on this and someone should have scratched their head and said, 'Ya’ll this is wrong,'” Grossman said.