Collegian.com
Thursday, June 11, 2020
Vol. 130, No. 1
Demand for change places spotlight on Fort Collins Police Services By Laura Studley @laurastudley_
Since the first ship arrived in North America housing slaves in 1619, Black people have been fighting for their basic human rights, and they are still fighting — about four centuries later. Residents of Fort Collins are no exception. Protests have been organized in the wake of the recent killing of Minneapolis resident George Floyd. The COVID-19 outbreak has caused many to lose their jobs or work with reduced hours, giving them time to raise their voices. Protester and 12-year Fort Collins resident Queen Johnson said that it is naive to believe that systemic racism cannot exist in your own backyard. “We need to make sure we get the people in office,” Johnson said. “We need to let them know that Black and brown lives matter. We fucking matter, stop fucking killing us.” It has been 17 days since Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd’s neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds, according to court documents from
Swoboda addressed the killing to reduce police involvement with the state of Minnesota. In that time, Floyd was unresponsive for two of Floyd in two statements released cases surrounding mental health minutes and 53 seconds while three by Fort Collins Police Services, pro- and drug addiction. There is no funding that goes viding responses to questions that other officers stood by watching. “Police are trained that this type have been asked related to hiring, directly toward the police department, Troxell said. The City does of restraint with a subject in a prone training, accountability and trust. “Every person deserves to feel not “budget-fund” departments, position is inherently dangerous,” safe when encountering law en- but rather the funds go toward crethe document read. ating safe, livable neighborhoods In Fort Collins, the police are forcement,” Swoboda said. that enable a larger comworking to “engage and munity connection. create genuine connec“Fort Collins has been tions” with community “Stand up for what’s right and expect very progressive in dealmembers as an effective it. We’ve been taught from a young ing with and assessing way to build cultural understanding and implicit age (to) treat people how you want to how we provide ... a safe, livable community in bias awareness, according be treated, and that should be driven the broadest sense of the to Fort Collins Police Chief across all race, gender, sex preference, word for everyone,” TroxJeff Swoboda. “Our training, anything. Black lives matter. Keep ell said. “We’re building some mechanisms that accountability systems, protesting. Keep fighting.” can address (that) in a culture and community friendly, forward-thinking engagement efforts JAMIR CONSTANCE ... way.” support (the fight against RECENT HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT GRADUATE OF CSU FCPS’ police transracial inequality),” parency page details what Swoboda said. “We goes into anti-bias trainwill continue to invite Fort Collins has less police offi- ing, reviews de-escalation and use meaningful discussions internally and externally with our colleagues cers per 100,000 people compared of force, highlights ethics and more. According to the website page, and community members of to other communities, according color to better understand local to Fort Collins Mayor Wade Trox- an emphasis is placed on trust and barriers, fears, perceptions and ell. Other community-oriented transparency to sustain a healthy programs have been introduced relationship with the Fort Collins opportunities for improvement.”
COVER PHOTOS (LEFT TO RIGHT) BY BEN LEONARD, SKYLER PRADHAN, MATT TACKETT AND LUCY MORANTZ THE COLLEGIAN
community. When the community speaks up, especially in such a powerful, peaceful manner as they have during the protests, it is the job of officers to listen and reflect, Swoboda said. “If there’s not a reasonable threat to your life, then you shouldn’t be afraid,” Amber Jensen, a protester, said. “In all honesty, you’ve been trained — there’s other methods to subdue somebody beyond using a weapon. If they don’t see a physical weapon, they should not be able to pull a weapon. They should not be able to put their full body weight on another human being.” Pastor and protester David A. Williams Jr. said he is tired of having to come to the protests and rallies and is tired of the killings. “We are not only fighting COVID-19, we are fighting other things, and we gotta stay together,” Williams Jr. said. “It is a right from God that all of us were created equal, that all of us have the same mandates.”
see CHANGE on page 8 >>
