Chief William Schultz has spent more than two decades rising through the ranks of the Fort Lauderdale Police Department — a career he began as one of its first openly gay male officers.
Schultz was outed early in his career, but he turned the experience into an opportunity to build greater understanding within the department. In 2006, he established its LGBTQ Liaison Unit.
Today, he leads the department. In 2023, Schultz became Fort Lauderdale’s second out gay police chief.
For Schultz, leading the department means more than public safety. He says his focus is on building trust with the community and creating a workplace where employees feel “respected, supported, and valued.”
His own experiences have also shaped how he thinks about the importance of LGBTQ+ visibility in leadership. “You should never have to choose between being who you are and becoming who you’re meant to be,” Schultz says. “Sometimes simply being visible can open a door for someone else who needs to see that it’s possible.” @ftlauderdalepd
