Gay Officers' Action League NY & STONEWALL Vets Assn. * GOAL hosts Gay Pride Celebration at NYCPD Headquarters


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Gay Officers' Action League (GOAL)
~~~S.V.A. Supporter~~~
(since 1982)

*

1969 Historic Gay Formula:
Gay Patrons at The Stonewall Club
+ Police Officers of Sixth Precinct
= Gay Group of Police Officers

NYCPD + S.V.A. = GOAL

"Stonewall 25" -- 1994

GOAL Conference: "Together In Pride"
All-day conferences, seminars and work-shops
for Gay & Lesbian Criminal Justice Professionals.
Thursday, June 23, 1994 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
at The Merchants Club
20 Thomas Street, Manhattan, N.Y.
Cost: $39. Mail check payable to GOAL, Inc. at:
GOAL, P.O. Box 2038, Canal St. Sta., NYC 10013
For more 411 (not 911), call GOAL (212) 996-8808.

S.V.A. & GOAL: "Together Again: Gays & Cops"
Several GOAL-ers and their guests are attending the
STONEWALL Veterans' Association meeting
for S.V.A.'s Gay Pride forum and reunion
at the Gay Community Services Center.
Saturday, June 25, 2004 @ 4:15 p.m.

"Stonewall 28" -- 1997

GOAL proudly hosts Gay Pride Celebration
at New York City Police Headquarters

Queen Allyson Allante and the 1969 Cadillac "Stonewall Car"
[Photo by NYPD Sergeant / GOAL Officer Erin J. O'Reilly]
An incredible -- really unbelievable, yet obviously realistic -- photo in Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender ("GLBT") history. Picture a renowned veteran of the historic 1969 Stonewall Rebellion -- Gays and Friends vs. New York Police Department -- who is also not just a member but the president of the Imperial QUEENS & Kings of Greater New York -- a known transgender group definitely not well-received by the NYPD in the Stonewall Era -- and have her with the impressive, classic blue (as in "the boys in blue") 1969 Cadillac convertible that the NYPD notoriously impounded at the 1969 Stonewall Rebellion and then fast-forward the person and the car to New York Police Headquarters for the celebration of a "Gay Pride" event!!! No one could have written such a script! Nonetheless, that's just what this one photo above colorfully shows and proves. It happened on Thursday, June 26, 1997: Queen Allyson Ann Allante with the 1969 "Stonewall Car" at the Gay Officers' Action League (GOAL) annual Gay Pride event at the NYPD's One Police Plaza headquarters!!! (Notice the lettering on brick column.)

New York City Police Commissioner Howard Safir (a very professional and pleasant person) personally, respectfully and proudly greeted Queen Allyson. The media, including The New York Times, New York Post, New York Daily News and, of course, the GOAL Gazette and the STONEWALL Newzletta had an unexpected bonanza. Virtually all of the speakers at the 3-hour event acknowledged the 28th anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion which forever -- and for the better -- changed the relationship between the New York City Police Department and the G.L.B.T. communities. This much-improved change of relationship and respect between the police and Gays slowly drifted throughout most of America and the World!

NYCPD & GOAL present "The Gay and Lesbian Celebration of Pride"

Gay Celebrities include Harvey Fierstein, Maurice Hines and Nell Carter

GOAL's special appreciation to the STONEWALL Veterans' Association,
Williamson Henderson and the 1969 "Stonewall Car" is printed in their program

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

S.V.A. & GOAL Tribute to....
NYPD Sergeant and GOAL Officer Erin Jaye O'Reilly

Erin Oh! in lively and proud action at the 2000 New York City Gay Pride Parade
[Exclusive photography (© 2000) by Tommy Jeans]

Heroic New York Police Department sergeant and loyal Gay Officers' Action League ("GOAL") officer Erin J. O'Reilly died suddenly at her home in Long Island on Sunday morning, June 17, 2001 (more sadly on Father's Day as Erin's dad is alive). Erin was very metropolitan New York being born in The Bronx in the new decade on February 27, 1960, raised in suburban New Jersey, worked in various locations in Manhattan from The Village to Harlem and lived in Long Island.

Ironically and proudly, Erin marched with GOAL in the Brooklyn Gay Pride Parade and posed for a pic with the 1969 "Stonewall Car" just the week before she passed. E.J.O. was greatly and gayly looking forward -- as always -- to the New York City Gay Pride Parade in Manhattan in two weeks. She specifically spoke about this in detail with her best male friend in GOAL, fellow Gay and Irish-American officer Sergeant Tommy Jeans. There was a tremendous outpouring of love and support for Erin at her 'wake' in New Hyde Park, Long Island, especially from GOAL and a special visit from N.Y.C. Mayor Rudy Giuliani and the NYPD Police Commissioner Bernard B. Kerik. The STONEWALL Veterans' Association and its President -- and Erin's friend and confidante -- Williamson Henderson made the huge gesture of bringing out the 1969 "Stonewall Car" (with the top down and the later realized threat of rain) to Erin's services for all to proudly see. This, Erin would have loved and everyone there knew it -- including the Mayor. After all, Erin even helped arrange to have the "Stonewall Car" on display at NYPD Police Headquarters. See the above GOAL "Gay Pride" program. Erin captively lured Williamson by jokingly asking: "What if one of the Gay cops steals the Stonewall vets' car?" Knowing that Williamson would have a quick and quirky retort, Erin grinned with anticipation as Williamson declared: "I'll call the Gay police!"

Ominously, less than three months after the unexpected loss of one honored New York police officer, Erin, we all experienced what even Erin must have also believed unthinkable, the dual attacks on the island of Manhattan resulting in the tragic and grotesque loss of dozens of police officers -- New York Police Department and New York City Port Authority Police -- within less than two hours on September 11....

2001

Two (2) Terrorist Attacks in Lower Manhattan, New York, Tuesday, September 11th, 2001

2003 - GOAL's 21st Annual Anniversary Banquet

This year's GOAL event will be held on Friday, May 2, 2003, starting @ 6:30 p.m. at Ricardo's (as in Ricky) By The Bay Restaurant at 21-01 24th Avenue, Astoria, New York. Event includes cocktail hour, 5-course dinner, awards, music and dancing. Tickets are a reasonable $70 for non-members. For more "411" or reservations, phone GOAL at (212) NY1-GOAL or e-mail
the group at NY1GOAL@GOALNY.org. Visit their website at: www.GOALNY.org

New Millennium GOAL-NY presidents include Don Jirak (2001 - 2002),
Ann M. Cregan (2003), Vivian Rodriguez (2004), Jaime E. Katz (2005),
George Ferrugia (2006 - 2007) and Alice Muniz (2008)

2006 - 24th Annual GOAL Awards & Banquet

Friday, April 21, 2006
7 p.m. to 12 midnight

Grand Prospect Hall
Brooklyn, New York

Tickets: $75 member / $85 non-member
Purchase on-line at: www.GOALny.org

New York City Police Department Gay Liaison

Detective Thomas S. Verni
34 1/2 East 12 Street
Manhattan, New York
tel: (212) 614-6749
fax: (212) 614-6746

2007: Gay Officers Action League 25th Anniversary Dinner

We heard about it through the "Gay Grapevine"!
Friday, April 20, 2007 @ 7 p.m.
Tickets: $140
(fabulous) Tavern on the Green Restaurant
(beautiful) Central Park, New York
U may visit GOAL at www.GOALNY.org.

=2008 GOAL transition=

Charles H. Cochrane, the co-founder and first president of the Gay Officers Action League
("GOAL") in New York City in 1982, died on May 5, 2008 at age 64 in Pompano Beach, Florida.
He had a long battle with cancer and, unfortunately, had not been up to New York in many years.
Charles will be remembered for his considered courage in "coming out", especially in any inherrently
anti-Gay police department in that recent post-Stonewall Era over a quarter-of-a-century ago.
When he co-founded GOAL, Gay officer Charles Cochrane understandably and smartly contacted
the STONEWALL Veterans' Association ("S.V.A."). No Gay group had more experience
with and changed the New York City Police Department than the S.V.A. members with
our watershed historic achievement of the 1969 Stonewall Rebellion in the Sixth Precinct.
Stonewallers were even part of having competitive fun baseball games with the NYCPD.
"CC" must also be recalled for his determination against all odds -- and threats -- in leading
the GOAL group with many deterrents and minimal support even from Gay police officers.
The diverse Gay community has lost another authentic and effective hero for all!

=Statement by former GOAL Official=

"Sergeant Charles "Charlie" Cochrane is someone whom I can honestly and proudly
state actually changed my life. When he publicly came out Gay, I was deeply honored
to know him. His influence, integrity and leadership made me better as a Police Officer
and as a person. He was an inspiration to me and his strength is something I've taken
into all areas of my life. I thank him for being the true hero that he was and still is."
----- Sergeant Tommy Jeans

1st June 2008


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