Protect and Defend

About me:

Protect and Defend became incorporated in 2006 as a non-profit, tax-exempt organization, fully recognized by the Internal Revenue Service per 501(c) (3) of the tax code. Our organization was born out of the desire of not only continuing to recognize the contributions of gay and lesbian law enforcement and public safety professionals, but also the desire to include gays and lesbians who are serving our great nation in the armed forces. Gays and lesbians serve our country in silence in every branch of service in all corners of the world. They serve in silence, not by choice, but out of fear of being discharged from the military for being gay. They fight for the very freedoms that, in many cases, are denied them right here at home. We are proud to provide a forum for these brave brothers and sisters in uniform to network with fellow service members as well as with members of the domestic law enforcement and public safety community.

We are primarily a social organization that organizes public and private events to promote fellowship and to educate the public on the many contributions gays and lesbians make in the vast fields of public safety, as well as providing an environment that fosters cooperation and mutual respect for our respective missions. Our intent is to be inclusive of people from diverse backgrounds and professions, and to serve the interests of gay and lesbian law enforcement, firefighters, military, and other public safety and justice system professionals from all over the world. We provide legal and other support for members who encounter difficulties at work because of their sexuality. We also have a modest death benefit program for those members who lose their lives in the line of duty. Our events are conducted under a strict code of ethics, and with other security measures designed to protect our members and reflect well upon our respective professions.

Our membership is open to active, retired, and reserve peace officers including police officers, deputy sheriffs, highway patrol, state police, probation, corrections, and parole; members of federal law enforcement agencies including Homeland Security, U.S. Treasury, and Justice, and other justice system professionals; active duty, retired, or part-time firefighters, dispatchers, paramedics, and EMT's; and active duty, reserve, or retired members of the armed forces, including the U.S. Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard. Our membership currently stands at over 200 individuals, with members in 33 states and 9 countries. We all share one thing in common: the desire to work together in educating the public on the many great contributions gays and lesbians make in protecting our communities and defending the freedoms of our fellow citizens.


We are an organization that believes in the importance of giving back to our communities. Since our inception in 2006, we have made charitable donations totaling several thousand dollars to various organizations, including the Palm Springs Animal Shelter, the Matthew Sheppard Foundation, the Trevor Project, the Nevada Golden Rainbow, and the University of California Pride Alliance. We have just established an annual scholarship program in memory of Michael J. Sagendorf, a gay Los Angeles Police Officer who died untimely in 2006. Our first event was Party in the Desert 2006, held July 7th through 9th at a hotel in Palm Springs, California. This was a private event, and we had the entire hotel booked for our members. What a great success it was! No cliques, no attitudes, just fun in the sun and water with great food and drinks. Future events will be a mix of public and private parties and fundraisers. Stay tuned for updates on events by visiting our website at protectanddefend.org and thanks for visiting!