The audio clip is a discussion about a police interaction involving a minor student suspected of a shooting incident. The Denver Police Department (DPD) officers visited a charter school, Rise Up Community School, to locate the student. The officers first approached a student outside the school, who alleged that someone called to report he was acting suspiciously. They then approached two male students as they walked back to school and walked with them back into the school building.
Upon entering the school, the officers asked a school staff member if the suspect was in the building. The staff member advised that he believed the student was present. The officers then spoke with another staff member who requested that Principal Lucas Ketzer come speak with the officers.
Principal Ketzer explained the school's policies regarding police interrogations to the officers and that school staff members will not deliver students to the police for interrogation against their will. He also stated that if the student is under 18, the student's parent or guardian must be present during the law enforcement interrogation or interview, unless the parent waives their right or other exceptions apply.
The officers then searched the entire school, including the classrooms, supply closets, and even the roof, despite the officer's belief that the school was hiding the suspect. The officers were unable to locate him anywhere in the school following the incident.
Both the Denver Police Department and Denver Public Schools conducted internal reviews of their employees' actions during the encounter. Both investigations found that no wrongdoing occurred, with the exception of one officer who received a minor reprimand for using insulting language about the teachers in a conversation with another officer.
The clip ends with a discussion about the ethicality and legality of granting police officers broad authority to conduct searches in schools, and the challenges facing members of law enforcement in balancing the assessment and response to a potential threat with the appropriate constitutional and ethical boundaries.
1. The episode covers the fourth amendment, harboring fugitives, and school searches.
2. The episode is brought to us by the Denver Posts channel.
3. The episode features a limited-time one-year membership offer with two months completely free on April 24th, 2018.
4. The episode discusses an incident where several officers from the Denver Police Department visited Rise Up Community School, a charter school with Denver Public Schools.
5. The officers were attempting to locate a minor student who was a suspect in a shooting that occurred the night before.
6. The officers first approached a student standing outside the school, who alleged that someone called to report he was acting suspiciously and requested the student's ID.
7. The officers then approached two male students as they walked back to school and walked with them back into the school building.
8. Upon entering the school, the officers asked a school staff member if the suspect was in the building.
9. The officers then spoke with another staff member who requested that Principal Lucas Ketzer come speak with the officers.
10. Principal Ketzer explains the school's policies regarding police interrogations to the officers.
11. Denver Public Schools spokesperson Alex Renteria told a reporter for the Denver Post that while the police are allowed to enter a classroom without a search warrant, they need approval from a district or school staff member to enter a school unless there's a safety threat.
12. The U.S Supreme Court found in the 1985 case of New Jersey versus TLO that even though the fourth amendment protection against unreasonable searches does apply in a school setting, the reasonableness of a search must be determined in light of the diminished expectation of privacy a student has at school.
13. The policy also requires school officials to release students to law enforcement officers if they have been arrested but does not require that students be released for interrogation.
14. Principal Ketzer adheres to this policy while interacting with the officers.
15. The student they are looking for is not in the building but requests a business card to provide to the suspect in case he sees him.
16. If the suspect actually was in the building and Principal Ketzer lied to the police, he could potentially face several different criminal charges.
17. The principal is denying access to the school denying us to look around and now they're saying he's not here.
18. The department of safety under Chief Eaton's supervision has the authority to make safety decisions for the school.
19. Both the Denver Police Department and Denver Public Schools conducted internal reviews of their employees' actions during the encounter and both investigations found that no wrongdoing occurred with the exception of one officer who received a minor reprimand for using insulting language about the teachers in a conversation with another officer.
20. It is unclear whether the officers ever apprehended the suspect they were searching for or if any parties involved will be taking legal action.
21. The Denver Police Department officers get a B-plus because although there were likely more appropriate circumstances to apprehend their suspect under the officers consulted with the proper supervisory official before moving forward and were operating under the pretense of a legitimate law enforcement purpose at the time of the encounter.