On July 9, West Slope Youth Voice invited students to “Know Their Rights” at the Mesa County Libraries Clifton Branch. The goal was to educate students on what they should do if interrogated by any form of police.

The training followed in the wake of a highly publicized incident at Central High School in which a student was forcefully detained by two Mesa County Sheriff student resource officers, leading to the officers’ limited suspension and reassignment. We anticipate additional steps forthcoming in the aftermath of this incident. 

The West Slope Youth Voice training covered:

• What rights youth under 18 have
• What it means to be in custody
• What it means to be interrogated
• And how to protect yourself when you interact with the law

West Slope Youth Voice is considering hosting additional training on youth rights during the school year. If you and/or your child are interested in learning more about their rights at school and in the community, please connect with Nick Allan at nick@westerncoloradoalliance.org.