Philadelphia’s Sheriff’s Office helmed by Sheriff Rochelle Bilal held a commendation and awards ceremony on Feb. 27 at Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #5.
During the ceremony, Dante Austin, the first out gay deputy sheriff, who died by suicide on June 6, was honored with a special presentation, posthumous promotion to deputy sheriff sergeant and promise from Bilal that she would appoint a new LGBTQ community liaison — a position Austin had held since 2017.