Protesters are asking for reformations to be made in the Laramie Police Department (LPD). These include the requirement of further education past high school to become an officer, extra training to carry firearms and remaining neutral in harsh situations, and routine psychological checks. According to LPD Lieutenant Gwendolyn Smith, these reformations are already met excluding the requirement for further education to become an officer.
“All of the training our officers receive includes remaining professional no matter the situation. It is our job to remain neutral, to help those who need help and protect those who need protecting,” said Smith. “Officers receive training in verbal and non-verbal communication, human behavior, and indicators of escalating behavior. That training allows them to assess possible threats when they are interacting with citizens.”
Smith said most Laramie officers have a college degree even though it is not required and some worked on their degrees while a full time police officer.
Laramie resident Marissa Taylor, along with many other demonstrators, attended a community meeting organized by other demonstrators to essentially brainstorm the next steps and reforms to take action on what they are protesting for.
Taylor would like to see more requirements to becoming a police officer and would like to see more training given on carrying firearms. Also, she would like to see more routine checks to be made in psychological and ethical aspects in order to prevent police brutality. Taylor also wants a reduction in patrolling by the police.
Smith said the city of Laramie exceeds the state requirements by having officers qualify on their weapons twice a year as opposed to once a year as Wyoming requires, and they have five specific firearm trainings a year that also include building searches, active shooters, de-escalation and other potential scenarios a police officer may face.
There is also a decision making scenario stimulator to include training in de-escalation skills, non-lethal tactics and lethal tactics. Also, candidates for the department must pass an extensive psychological exam and officers must have three mental visits a year along with a yearly check and yearly training said Smith.
In 2015 an outside company conducted an evaluation on LPD and reported that officers had less than 25% of their time on shift patrolling said Smith. This is the minimum amount of time, according to the outside company, that officers have to patrol and conduct other activities. Smith said this is less patrolling than their department should be doing according to national standards.
“It is never an easy day trying to stay neutral and lawful when hundreds of people are gathered in the streets chanting ‘no justice, no peace; no racist police’ or ‘fire Derek Colling’,” said Taylor. “I bet several of those officers knew Colling and feared one day (for good reason or not) their name could be chanted too. Police are here, ultimately to serve and I think they are trying to do this the best way they know how for the given circumstances. I think people forget this is a very dangerous time for cops as well because they are the ones being protested against.”
Taylor said she understands it is no small task to be a police officer right now. She said she would like to see them to remain neutral on the issue and, instead of issuing citations and arresting protesters, to block off safe passage for protesters and to march with the protesters with their body cameras on.
Taylor also wants there to be respect between the two. She said it is not possible to have a middle ground or to see progress if there is no mutual respect between the police department and protesters. The LPD respects the protesters and their constitutional right to do so said Smith.
