A Houston police officer who is planning to undergo sex re-assignment surgery sometime next year has been transferred to the city’s emergency dispatch center.

Sgt. Julia Oliver, who was born Jack, is now supervising a team of dispatchers at the center, said Sgt. Nate McDuell, an HPD spokesperson. The center is where all emergency calls are received, and information is relayed out to the field.

Before having the surgery, Oliver will have to live as a woman 24-hours a day for an entire year.

The job transfer will allow for a better transition, as the police officer had had safety and privacy concerns in June when she revealed her plans to have the surgery. Oliver’s lawyer Phyllis Frye, who is also a transgender woman, is the only person speaking to the media on the transfer.

“There was negotiations going on in regards to her transition and part of those negotiations dealt with whether she would do whatever was in the best interest of the department,” Frye said. “This is in no way a punishment. It was agreed upon.”

Frye said Oliver was issued a new police identification card presenting her as a woman.

“She’s full-time Julia now, at work and at home,” Frye said.

Frye commends the Houston Police Department for accommodating her client through her transition. She said Oliver started her new job at the dispatch center Aug. 1, and has not had any problems adjusting.

“As far as I know she is doing well and has been well received,” Frye said. “Everything is moving along. It’s been a win-win situation.”

Oliver, who is a 24-year veteran with HPD, held a press conference in June at Frye’s law office and announced her plans to undergo sex-reassignment surgery. At the time, Oliver said she had been receiving female hormone treatment for four and a half months.

“I didn’t choose to do this, it’s just how I feel,” she said. “It’s a lot of stress to keep that (male) façade and that mask up.”

At the press conference, Oliver said although she had just started the process to undergo surgery, she had been feeling more like a woman on the inside for a long time. Oliver had originally planned to wait on revealing her plans to co-workers and supervisors, but changed her mind after having a minor accident while being involved in a high-speed chase.

Oliver was not injured in the chase, but said if emergency medical treatment was needed others would have noticed her physical changes right away. She did not want to reveal her transition that way.

“If they had to do medical treatment out in the field, you remove that vest and that shirt and you can’t miss some of the changes,” Oliver said. “That was not a fair way for the officers to find out and not how I want to come out. I personally think they deserve the respect of me coming in and talking to them.”

McDuell said officers seeking transfers within the department must apply for a new position “within a certain amount of time.” He said available positions are announced and circulated around each of the police department’s different divisions. An officer applies for the position and is approved by supervisors.

“If a person chooses to transfer, then they have a right to do so,” McDuell said. “Oliver applied for it and got it.”

McDuell said Oliver’s rank and salary will remain the same.

“Nothing has changed,” he said.

Frye said at the end of the month she will file the required court documents to have Oliver’s name officially changed to Julia Christine Oliver. She expects the legal change to become valid in September or October.

“Everything is rocking and rolling,” Frye said.

After the transition, Oliver could apply to be transferred back as a deputy day sergeant. Frye said Oliver doesn’t plan to take off her police badge anytime soon.
“She wants to retire in about seven years,” Frye said.

The police officer was once married and has five children who range in age from 18 to early 30s. The children have asked to be kept out of the media, and Oliver said she wants to respect their request.

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