Officer goes public with personal decision

Friday, June 09, 2006

Jessica Willey
More: Bio, abc13.com News Team

(6/09/06 - KTRK/HOUSTON) (KTRK) -- A Houston police officer had a very personal announcement to make Friday. Sergeant Jack Oliver, who's been on the force for nearly 25 years, says he plans to undergo a sex change.

Dressed in his police blues, Sgt. Oliver looks like any officer, but look closer and it's the subtleties that some say make him different.

"There have been a couple of comments about my face and voice," he said.

He has a smooth face, higher voice, and now longer hair. His changing appearance has led to questions and his decision to go public about something very private.

"I reached a point where I could no longer deny it for myself and decided to do it for myself and stand up for my feelings," said Sgt. Oliver.

After five children, a divorce, and 49 years of uncertainty...

"You spend most of your life trying to be what everybody says," he told us.

Sgt. Oliver is currently undergoing treatment to become a woman. He'll have surgery in about a year and wants to continue as a police officer.

"I'm still a sergeant, still a police officer and still can perform this job effectively," he said.

Oliver is apparently not alone. According to the website Tcops.com, there are nearly 400 trans-gendered officers in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. He has union support and has already told the police chief and mayor his plans. Next week, he'll start addressing the troops.

"They haven't had a chance to find out yet and neither have I how they're going to react to it," he said. "As strange or odd as it is to everybody else, I don't feel any different. The thing is when I start looking in the mirror now, I start to see the person I've always seen."

In response, the Houston Police Department would only say it has a policy of not discriminating against anyone and will always strive to do what's best for its employees as well as the department. We're also told Sgt. Oliver plans to change his name to Julia Oliver.
(Copyright © 2006, KTRK-TV)

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