Texas teens must view police video to graduate

In the aftermath of several fatal police shootings of unarmed citizens, Texas lawmakers sought to pacify tensions between law enforcement and civilians. The state legislature brought civil rights groups and law enforcement organizations together to develop a solution: the Community Safety Education Act.

The bill requires students to participate in a class and watch a video on how to interact properly with officers during traffic stops. Without a notation of attendance on their transcripts, seniors cannot receive diplomas.

State Sen. Royce West, a Democrat, led the charge, also requiring instruction for law enforcement officers and those joining the force, as well as students in driver-training and defensive-driving courses. “I wanted to put something in place that would temper the expectations of police officers and citizens,” he said.

The Civilian Interaction Training Program aims to give its audiences — high school students, new drivers and police officers — a neutral understanding of one another’s points of view and responsibilities, Gretchen Grigsby, director of the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement’s office of government relations said. “The legislation was made to address the issue of trust.”

The 16-minute video uses re-enactments about the correct way to behave during a traffic stop and the wrong way to communicate with officers. It offers these guidelines:

Officers don’t always have a clear view into your vehicle, so keep your hands visible.

Don’t move around or reach for anything.

Let the officer know you’re reaching into the console. It also answers several common questions: Do I need to get out of the car? Can I say no if the officer asks to search me or my car?

What if I didn’t do anything wrong? The bill has its critics. Fatima Mann, founder and director of the Community Advocacy and Healing Project, is concerned that the policy does not adequately account for the “human component” of the people communicating.