Community members voice frustration at forum on police response over Penn State protest

A forum organized to discuss police response at a recent protest on Penn State’s campus brought out dozens of students and community members on Thursday night who had many questions and concerns about the headline-making night of Oct. 24.

Tensions flared at times during the forum held by the State College Borough’s Community Oversight Board, which was established last year to help oversee the borough police department. The State College Municipal Building room was packed, with the more than 50 available chairs filled, sending attendees spilling into aisles and lingering in doorways.

The Oct. 24 protest was in response to an on-campus event featuring Proud Boy’s founder Gavin McInnes and far-right comedian Alex Stein. The event was canceled at the last minute due to “threats of escalating violence” but protests continued on campus. The apparent inaction of police officers after a hate group supporter sprayed protesters with pepper spray has been one recurring concern from community members and students.

State College Police Chief John Gardner said that the FBI had identified four hate group supporters at the protest but could not provide additional information. While State College police were on the scene, along with state police and officers from other area departments, Gardner said any investigations surrounding the protest are under the Penn State University Police’s jurisdiction.

The university told the Centre Daily Times earlier this week that no arrests stemming from the pepper spray incident have been made, but that it is continuing to investigate.

The university did not respond by deadline Friday to questions including whether a similar forum with Penn State police will be held.

During the first hour of Thursday’s forum, Community Oversight Board members heard dozens of community members share their experiences and ask questions. The second half was an informal question-and-answer segment, with the board collecting community concerns and Gardner and State College Police Lt. Greg Brauser answering some questions.

Police training and screening, the use of state police horses, why medics were not present and the overall cost of the police response were among questions asked. In many of those cases, Gardner reiterated that State College police could not provide answers.

The questions will be used to gather additional information and structure the agendas of future Community Oversight Board meetings, vice-chair Barrett Marshall said.

“My job isn’t to decide what needs to happen in this community,” Marshall said. “My job is to listen to the community because they’re trying to represent what they think needs to happen.”

Although most attendees were critical or questioned police actions, two people did ask the community not to condemn the police or call for defunding. They were met with questions and on one occasion boos from another attendee.

Some attendees also questioned the efficacy of the board and their motives.

Marshall reiterated that the board was not part of the police department and that several police departments were involved, not just State College.

“It’s important for folks to remember that just because we view it and we want to hear from them doesn’t mean we’re the ones doing the investigation or handling those other pieces,” Marshall said.

Gardner said he felt the forum was a win for the community and that the department will make sure the university police conduct a full investigation.

“We got to hear from a lot of people, a lot of people in our community who had different experiences, and this gave them a forum to be heard,” Gardner said. “And as police chief, I have to be willing to listen to those kinds of things.”

But many attendees said they were left with more questions than answers, with some upset that Gardner admitted he had not seen videos of the protest that had circulated on Twitter. Gardner asked that any videos of possible police misconduct be sent to the department for review.

Lawrence Miller, who was at the protests and spoke during the meeting, said he understood the position and limitations of the board but wished the police department could have provided more information sooner in the forum.

“I wish there was more to be done but I can understand that they don’t have unlimited power,” Miller said. “I feel more frustrated because now I have more questions of competency in general.”

Divine Lipscomb, a State College Borough Council member who also attended the protests, said the community needs the departments involved to listen to their concerns.

“In order for justice to happen or any restorative practices, there has to be acknowledgment and accountability in multiple spaces, from the university to where we are tonight, and no one wants to take accountability,” Lipscomb said.

Marshall said the forum was a vital way to hear the community’s concern.

“I think the thing that’s hardest is to watch people in so much pain,” Marshall said. “I hate to see the way people are heartbroken, the way they’re disappointed and how angry they are, but they have a right to all of those feelings given the event.”