The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Montana State University recently hosted a Friday Forum panel discussion of the role of law enforcement in modern society. | Stock photo
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Montana State University recently hosted a Friday Forum panel discussion of the role of law enforcement in modern society. | Stock photo
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Montana State University (MSU) recently hosted a virtual panel discussion on policing in the Gallatin Valley as part of its regular Friday Forums program.
The panel included officials from local law enforcement agencies and civil liberty advocates, according to a press release posted to the MSU website. They discussed the current situation of policing in the local community.
Some of the concerns addressed were the perceived militarization of law enforcement and the behavior of law enforcement in regard to racial profiling and excessive use of force, according to the release. They also discussed what the appropriate law enforcement response should be to current societal issues such as protests, homelessness, domestic violence, the mental health crises and substance abuse.
Cody Warner, associate professor of sociology in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology in the College of Letters and Science at MSU, moderated the discussion between panelists who included Gallatin County Sheriff Brian Gootkin, interim Bozeman Police Chief Jim Veltkamp, Montana Racial Equity Project Executive Director Judith Heilman, and American Civil Liberties Union of Montana Advocacy and Policy Director SK Rossi.
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