Iowa City schools want police back on campus

IOWA CITY - Three weeks after the Iowa City Police Department said it would not take it upon itself to go to schools amid questions over a police lunch program and other involvement with schoolchildren, the district will invite officers back.

Iowa City school Superintendent Stephen Murley said Tuesday night the district would 'formally re-engage” with the police department. His comments came during an Iowa City school board meeting.

'I think it's important we send a loud and clear message they're all welcome on our campuses,” said board member Phil Hemingway.

Earlier this month, the police department said it had suspended all self-initiated calls for service to Iowa City schools in the wake of questions about a lunch program headed by police department Community Outreach Assistant Henri Harper.

The police department launched 'Lunch with the PD” in early October. The initiative was to involve Harper - the former executive director of the FasTrac diversity and cultural awareness program in Iowa City - making weekly visits to Iowa City elementary schools to build relationships between the department and children.

Harper is employed by the police department and wears a uniform, but does not carry a sidearm and does not have the same authority as fully sworn police officers.

But not long after the program was launched, Kingsley Botchway - director of Equity and Engagement for the district and also an Iowa City Council member - emailed Harper at his personal account. Botchway attached a document entitled 'Interagency Agreement” that spelled out expectations for the program.

Among those was a provision that said clothing worn by the 'actors from the Partner Agency shall be non-offensive (i.e. not in uniform).”

Botchway's document - which he said was written in response to questions he had received about the program and was meant to be a draft - was forwarded by Harper to Iowa City Police Sgt. Scott Gaarde. Gaarde, in turn, told interim Iowa City Police Chief Bill Campbell that the program would be suspended due to 'contradictions/conflicts being presented by Kingsley” including concerns about uniforms.

After learning about the program's suspension, the school board's Hemingway asked for a discussion to be placed on the board's work session agenda.

When Iowa City Manager Geoff Fruin learned about the planned discussion, he requested the police department suspend all self-initiated activity at the schools until that discussion could take place. The police department still responds to emergencies and calls for service in the schools.

During Tuesday's work session, board President Chris Lynch said he had three steps he wanted to see take place in response to questions about police involvement in the schools.

The first was to 'reinvite business as usual” with the police department. He said he also wanted to insure programs had a curriculum in place; and that parents were notified if their students were to be involved in the program.

Board members also said they'd like to see occasional reports outlining the positive interactions police were having in the schools.

The matter of police wearing uniforms into the schools did not come up in the roughly 20-minute board discussion.

Murley said he had spoken with Fruin and two senior members of the police department before Tuesday's meeting.

'They are waiting for an invitation from the board,” Murley said. 'That's the message from them.”

Botchway said he did not have any ill will toward Harper and conceded he could have handled the situation differently.

Before the board's work session, community members voiced support for Harper during the board's regular meeting.

Eight people addressed the board, all of them calling for Harper's return to the schools.

'In Iowa City, there is a deep need for unity and peace,” said Te'Angela Lewis, a junior at City High School. 'I think Officer Harper brings that. (Students) need to know that unity is an important key to life. I believe he not only pushes them academically, but pushes them in their everyday lives … And he motivates the youth in Iowa City.”

A common refrain in the comments was Harper's ability to reach out to students and build relationships.

'Most of our youth has disliked police officers,” said 16-year-old Shevonna Norris. 'I guarantee you most youths can go to Mr. Harper … Mr. Harper already has a strong connection with many of the youths of Iowa City.”

Royceann Porter, a district parent, said she has worked with Harper for 15 years in the community. She said the community and school board needs to understand that Harper is not a sworn police officer.

'The kids trust him,” Porter said. 'They go to Henri. They can talk to Henri.”