EASING TENSION IN DENVER
Denver school, police offcials will discuss race, justice
Denver Police Chief Robert White, appearing with students and Denver schools chief Tom Boasberg, says communication about race and law enforcement would be “a no-brainer.” »
Denver school and police administrators have vowed to start a community dialogue over issues of race, justice and lawenforcement, after students protested a Ferguson, Mo., grand jury’s decision not to indict an officer who killed an 18-year-old.
“I am optimistic that the kids’ concerns are going to be part of a greater dialogue,” said Denver Safety Manager Stephanie O’Malley.
Roughly 1,000 East High School students on Wednesday left school and demonstrated. They chanted, “Hands up, don’t shoot,” a mantra associated with some witnesses’ descriptions of Michael Brown just before he was shot to death in August by a Ferguson police officer.
Four officers on bicycles were injured— one critically — during Wednesday’s march in Denver when a driver apparently in the grip of a medical emergency ran them over.
On Thursday, hundreds more students from four other Denver schools walked out of class and demonstrated in support of protesters. The protests snarled traffic for miles and drew dozens of police officers to escort the students.
In a news release, the Denver police union blasted the protesters, saying the “unlawful protests” cost taxpayers money and tie up officers who are needed elsewhere.
“A tremendous amount of police resources are used to monitor and protect the protesting group, leaving regular law-abiding citizens with little or no police coverage,” the Denver Police Protective Association said.
Even as students marched Thursday, O’Malley and other officials met with leaders of the East High protest.
The students told them there isn’t time to discuss issues of race and justice in class and they would like to have a venue where they could air concerns to police and officials.
City officials wanted to hold forums throughout the city at which policy makers, police and communitymembers could discuss issues involving the police, City Councilman Albus Brooks said.
Themeeting with students prompted officials to go ahead and announce plans for the forums.
Students said they “want to have conversations with police officers,” Brooks said. “I walked away saying this is a great first step, this is forcing our hand.”
Plans for the meetings aren’t fully devel--
oped, said safety department spokeswoman Daelene Mix, but Mayor Michael Hancock will lead the initiative.
The meetings will run on two separate tracks. Denver Public Schools will hold forums for students and police “within the walls of schools,” Mix said. Meanwhile, city officials will hold meetings throughout the wider community.
“We are in the infancy stages of identifying the right stake-holders,” Mix said.
The need for a dialogue among police, students and other residents is “a nobrainer,” Police Chief Robert White said.
East High students who led the protest at their school joined officials in speaking to the media after their meeting.
“Whenwe organized this, we didn’t think we would make this much of an impact,” said senior Donalya Bridges, 17.
Faculty wasn’t involved in planning the demonstrations, said senior Maya Thomas, 18. “DPS is responsible for my education, not my free will. They played a role by making sure we were safe.”
The walkouts were “very much student-led,” said DPS Superintendent Tom Boasberg.