Changing Perceptions: Officer Denel McIntyre Says Police Aren’t ‘Bad Guys’

By Katy Savage, Standard Staff

In the midst of national prejudice toward law enforcement, Denel McIntyre tries to put a positive spin on policing.

“I talked to so many people that I made laugh, that I made smile that I could tell people were surprised,” said the parttime Woodstock police officer. “Police officers can be nice and it all depends how you handle the situation.”

McIntyre has been a part-time police officer in Woodstock for the past four years or so. He’s the only black officer on the department, in a state where more than 95 percent of the population is white, according to 2015 census numbers. About 1.3 percent of the Vermont population is black.

Woodstock currently employs five white males full-time. There are no black officers on Springfield, Windsor and Hartford police departments.

“The recruitment of minority police officers is a challenge that every law enforcement faces across the country,” said Hartford Police Phil Kasten.

There are an estimated 10 state police troopers of color, out of more than 300, said Captain Ingrid Jonas. The Vermont State Police are trying to hire a more diverse police force, following a May 2016 study that found racial bias in traffic stop data.

“Not because we believe a more diverse work force” will solve problems, Jonas said. “Just because it represents the public that we serve.” McIntyre, 28, said Woodstock feels “sheltered” from Civil Rights movements and national police negativity. He is used to the lack of diversity. McIntyre grew up in Bridgewater and graduated from Woodstock Union High School. He is also well known in the community, working at TD Bank for 10 years. He was most recently assistant manager at the bank until he left his position last month and started picking up more policing hours. He’s also started his own bookkeeping business.

“Everyone seems to like him,” said Woodstock Police Chief Robbie Blish.

McIntyre works as needed and his hours as a police officer vary. Sometimes he works the parking meter shift, sometimes he patrols traffic. He’s been to some domestic calls.

“If you’re nice and you’re just talking to somebody, you never know what you’re going to get out of it,” McIntyre said.

Some data has shown Vermont officers aren’t as friendly and could be biased. In May, studies on Vermont State Police found blacks and Hispanics were more likely to be searched, ticketed and arrested than whites between 2010 and 2015. But whites were more likely to be found with illegal substances.

Stephanie Seguino, an economics professor at the University of Vermont, and Nancy Brooks of Cornell University completed the study examining Vermont State Police data, comparing it to population statistics.

They found the Royalton barracks were four times more likely to search a black driver than a white one when stopped, while whites were twice as likely to be found with an illegal substance. In the Rutland barracks, blacks were six times more likely to be searched once stopped, according to the findings.

“We’re taking it very seriously,” Vermont State Police Director of Fair and Impartial Policing and Community Affairs Captain Ingrid Jonas said.

Jonas’ position was created in the spring, around the time the findings were released to the public. The findings in Vermont are similar to data that’s been released in other states.

Some chiefs are weary of the findings, explaining they don’t take into account a person’s criminal history.

“Are we shooting for bias-free policing? Yes we are. Is there some bias in police work? I think everybody has a bias to some degree,” said Springfield Police Chief Douglas Johnston.

McIntyre hopes to change perceptions of the police.

“A lot of people tell me, ‘You’re way too nice to be a police officer, what are you doing?’” he said. “I think a lot of people just think of police officers as bad guys.”

This article first appeared in the September 22, 2016 edition of the Vermont Standard.