Residents press Coralville Council to adopt Pride Month proclamation and denounce alleged officer misconduct

Dozens of Coralville residents used the June 9 public-comment period to urge the City Council to formally recognize Pride Month and to press leaders to address alleged disrespectful and transphobic conduct by a Coralville police officer.

“Leadership did not meet this moment with the courage and care it deserves,” resident Alison Bywater said, presenting a People’s Proclamation she and others read aloud and left at the podium for community signatures. Tara McGovern, who joined Bywater at the microphone, invited people to sign the proclamation and linked Pride recognition to broader struggles for racial and trans liberation.

Several speakers described personal and community harms. Solomon Fenton-Miller said Coralville Police Officer Joshua Van Brocklin made “nasty jokes” and purposefully misgendered people on social media, and asked the mayor and council to “accept and join the Pride Month proclamation” and to work with Police Chief Kyle Nicholson to ensure officers behave respectfully to citizens of all identities. Shelby Seager said visibility and representation “save lives,” adding that a council parade appearance would ring hollow without formal recognition.

Other commenters amplified the call for action. Amenda Green warned that violent rhetoric directed at transgender people can have deadly consequences and urged elected officials to consider constituent safety when deciding whether to issue formal recognition. Clara Reyman and Angela Blake encouraged the council to “be a bridge” and build trust with marginalized residents.

Council responses in the meeting acknowledged the public feedback but recorded no formal proclamation or disciplinary action. Councilperson Hai Huynh apologized during her remarks for not being more proactive about a Pride proclamation and said, “I thank those who showed up tonight to speak up and let us know we failed them. I promise to do better.” Councilperson Royce Peterson reiterated his support for civil and human rights. Mayor Laurie Goodrich’s announcements earlier in the meeting listed Pride-related community events that Coralville is sponsoring, including a Pride Picnic and Pool Party June 17 and the city’s sponsorship of a Juneteenth celebration on June 20.

The council did not take a formal vote on a citywide Pride proclamation or on any personnel action concerning the officer during the meeting. The public record from June 9 shows sustained community concern and a call for the council to pair symbolic recognition with concrete steps to address complaints about officer behavior.