Boulder Valley School District
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JRLE
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Boulder Valley School District
Adopted: June 12, 1987
Revision: May 27, 2025

STUDENT INTERVIEWS AND INTERROGATIONS
BY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS

Interviews by School Personnel

If a school official has reasonable grounds to suspect a violation of Board policy or school rules has occurred, the principal or designee may interview students, including potential student victims and witnesses. The nature and extent of the questioning must be reasonably related to the objectives of the questioning. If the student denies any involvement or culpability, the student will have the opportunity to present their side of the story, orally or in writing. Such interviews do not require prior consent or presence of the student’s parent/guardian. Schools are encouraged to communicate with students’
families about significant events that happen at school.

Interviews by Child Protection Authorities

When an authorized public official (law enforcement officer or health and human services caseworker) is investigating an allegation of child abuse or neglect in accordance with the Colorado Children’s Code, school officials are required by state law to permit access to the student without being subject to the requirements of this Policy and are not permitted to notify parents/guardians or to accompany students during the interview unless the public official agrees. Schools are expected to verify identification and a reasonable explanation of the purpose of the visit. Atypical requests and any concerns may be directed to the Office of Legal Counsel.

Interrogations by Law Enforcement Officials

The School District has responsibility for students during the school day and during hours of approved extracurricular activities and it is therefore the responsibility of the school administration to make an effort to protect each student's rights with respect to interrogations by law enforcement officials. For purposes of this Policy, interrogation means formal questioning of a person suspected of having engaged in criminal conduct and would not include interviews of students as witnesses to conduct. Also for purposes of this Policy, law enforcement officials means employees of other public agencies and not School District personnel, including security staff.

Law enforcement interrogations raise significant issues of legal and individual rights, and should be coordinated by law enforcement directly with impacted students and their parents/guardians outside of school. When law enforcement officials seek to interrogate a student during the school day or periods of extracurricular activities, school personnel will
take the following actions:

1. Verify law enforcement officials’ identity and any provided documents.
2. Assure the Principal or designee familiar with the requirements of this Policy shall be present until the parent/guardian can be present, unless a court order provides otherwise.
3. Notify the parent or guardian of the student so the parent or guardian may determine how to proceed. The School will ask law enforcement to defer the interrogation for a reasonable time while notifying the parent/guardian. The School will inform the student that they may have legal rights associated with law enforcement’s request to interrogate them and that the student may elect to
wait to confer with their parent/guardian or other appropriate adult prior before responding to law enforcement’s request(s).
4. Provide a location for the questioning that affords privacy to the student being questioned and is not in the view of the student’s peers.
5. Request that all procedural safeguards, as prescribed by law, will be observed by the law enforcement officials. Nothing in this Policy makes School District staff responsible for the conduct of other public officials.

Review of Complaints

Any complaints arising under this policy may be submitted for review under the provisions of Policy KE - Complaints and Concerns.

LEGAL REFERENCES

CROSS REFERENCES