Swarthmore, the Police, and the Pursuit of Perfection

One recent morning, I was listening to the radio. The news centered on the no-knock warrant used by Louisville police when they entered Breonna Taylor’s home and killed her. The officers had obtained the warrant using false information. 

Waiting for the coffee to brew, I remembered how preoccupied I had been with police conduct and policies last summer, after George Floyd’s death. After the deaths of so many Black Americans at the hands of police. How could I have pushed the issue to the back of my mind by autumn? 

The answer that swims uneasily to consciousness: Because I’m white.

Over the summer, the Swarthmorean heard from several residents asking if we were planning any reporting about the Swarthmore police. At that point we were not. What was there to report? I didn’t know.

I also heard from a handful of people about positive experiences with Swarthmore police: about officers who had helped them and their families when they were in trouble. And I know Chief Ray Stufflet is proud of his department’s up-to-date policies that, for example, strictly limit the use of chokeholds. 

A few weeks ago, I went to a meeting where the borough council’s Public Safety Committee discussed police-community relations. Chief Stufflet, Mayor Marty Spiegel, and Swarthmore resident and sociologist Virginia Adams O’Connell came to the meeting to report on conversations they’ve been having about Swarthmore police policies, training, and attitudes. 

At the meeting, Adams O’Connell recommended that the borough invest in a professional survey of community attitudes toward police. Stufflet and Spiegel both endorsed the idea. I hope it comes to fruition. 

But even if it does, it won’t be soon. In the meantime, I’d like to get a better sense of our community’s experiences with and attitudes about our police department — recognizing that it won’t be a complete picture. Maybe the story here is that, when it comes to policing, we live in a particularly lucky place. Or maybe the story is that there are problems. Or maybe it’s some of both.

I like to think that Swarthmore is small enough and has enough resources and good will that it comes as close as any town could to being perfectible. Doubtless that’s a romantic notion. But I’m guessing I’m not the only one who feels this way. 

In pursuit of that ideal, we need to ask some hard questions. So I’m asking. 

The Swarthmorean has put together a brief survey about local attitudes toward our police. I invite you to take the survey and contribute some answers.

Rachel Pastan
Editor