To the Editors of the Yale Daily News:

I was interested to read Joshua Danziger’s ’28 piece on the Yale College Council’s proposed measure for student oversight of non-emergency collaborations between the Yale Police Department and federal or state agencies. While Danziger’s objections to the practicalities of the current proposed measure make sense — Yale is a busy time for everyone — it seems that police-student relations could, as during my time, undergo serious rethinking.

I was at Yale during the infamous 2010 Elevate raid, in which the New Haven Police raided a nightclub at which a Morse-Stiles Screw was taking place, had students sit on the ground and then tasered and severely beat a Silliman sophomore in front of his classmates. Students, including a News editor, were hauled to jail for asking questions, although all charges were eventually dismissed.

Myself and two other students affiliated with the News had been detained a few months earlier during a prank on a senior society — incidentally, we were pranking the editor who would be jailed during the Elevate raid. The Yale Police drew their weapons on one of us and put us in jail for a day before we were able to make our phone calls. The charges were eventually dismissed, but what we learned from listening to the police —YPD, that is — who boasted about beating up civilians and even spraying mace into one man’s mouth, was shocking.

In the aftermath of Elevate, I joined New Haven police oversight organizers and other students to form a coalition. We heard stories from people in the local community, including a father who had been beaten in front of his children during a traffic stop by East Haven cops who had a history of complaints. We advocated for the creation of a proper civilian review board that had the power of sanctioning police officers within well-defined limits. Such a body still does not exist. Direct student and community involvement at YPD could help spur change in greater New Haven and in other nearby police forces.

Law enforcement has an important role to play in our society, but it must have sensible limits. Students can also be involved in calling for change and oversight. In that way, a better police force can be created, one that responds to community problems and creates more trust in law enforcement instead of creating more problems due to brutal tactics and cronyism: in this way, the students and the people of New Haven, as well as the police, will benefit. 

Nicolas Niarchos 

Trumbull ’11