MISSOULA (AP) -- Missoula Police Sgt. Scott Oak is gay, a fact not lost on vandals who scratch the word into his pickup truck or throw eggs at his house while hollering anti-gay epithets.

In addition to the vandalism, his work as liaison to the gay and lesbian community here is drawing national press attention that credits him with bravely breaking new ground.

Last week, a film crew shadowed him for several days and the producer, Craig Deltrone, plans to come back again in June.

The footage will be part of a one-hour documentary about gay men and women who are ''out'' in the workplace. The film is expected to air in January on a network called Logo, a new channel from MTV Networks with programming geared for the gay, lesbian and transgendered.

Oak also was the subject of a USA Today piece on people who shattered stereotypes, as well as local news stories announcing the creation of his position last fall.

He said the first headline that referred to him as a gay police officer made him squirm a little.

''The attention has been embarrassing, but I think it's really helping to further a cause,'' said Oak, who patrols on a motorcycle when the weather allows.

''It's certainly a different kind of publicity than our department is used to getting,'' said Police Chief Rusty Wickman. ''But I honestly don't see it as a bold step for the department. We are here to ensure that police are available to everyone, that's our job, and that's what Scott is doing.

''On the other hand, Scott obviously extended himself by volunteering for this position, and I think that puts him in a somewhat vulnerable position. It's incredibly brave,'' Wickman said.

As the production crew trailed him last week, Oak discovered that someone had scratched the word GAY in block letters on the rear quarter panel of his pickup in the City Hall parking lot. Oak went back in to report the vandalism.

''That was 1,800 bucks worth of damage,'' Oak said. ''They did it right in view of the camera, too.''

Oak was named the liaison to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered and intersex community in November. He has an office in the Western Montana Gay & Lesbian Community Center, where he can meet with complainants in a ''more comfortable setting,'' he said.

His position was created just weeks after a group of teenagers screamed anti-gay epithets at two University of Montana students and beat the men so severely they had to be hospitalized. One had a broken jaw and the other a fractured cheekbone and concussion.

Both victims are heterosexual, but the attack led Wickman to act on his plan to create Oak's position.

Information from: Missoulian, http://www.missoulian.com