After hearing about multiple student run-ins with officer from the New York Police Department, East Side Community High School decided to get the New York Civil Liberties Union involved and offer a class for students on how to interact with police officers.
NYCLU coached 450 students on staying calm during police encounters, according to the New York Post. Students were given a “What To Do If You’re Stopped By The Police” pamphlet, told to keep their hands out of their pockets and were reminded of their rights. The NYCLU told students they don’t have to show ID or consent to searches, that it’s best to remain silent, and taught them how to file a complaint against an officer.
“We’re not going to candy-coat things — we have a problem in our city that’s affecting young men of color and all of our students,” Principal Mark Federman told The Post. “It’s not about the police being bad. This isn’t anti-police as much as it’s pro-young people . . . It’s about what to do when kids are put in a position where they feel powerless and uncomfortable.”
Police advocates weren’t too pleased to hear about the one-sided training sessions.
Ed Mullins, president of the Sergeants Benevolent Association, told the NY Post, “Education is the key, but are Civil Liberties going in with an agenda or to educate? I think we deserve equal time and should have the opportunity to follow up with the same platform to explain exactly what police do and what we think is the best way to deal with the police.”
