After the Refugee Act of 1980 was passed, providing for the admission and resettlement of people fleeing their countries for humanitarian reasons, more than 19,000 refugees from approximately 50 countries eventually made their new homes in Idaho. Most recently, Boise’s largest groups have come from Iraq, Democratic Republic of Congo, Myanmar, Bhutan, Afghanistan, and Somalia. By 2007 the Boise Police Department recognized the need for a full-time cultural liaison officer to build a bridge to these newcomers. When William Bones became chief of police in 2015 he continued to fund the position and expanded the program despite a tight budget.
CHIEF WILLIAM BONES: Boise’s grown quite a bit. You’re seeing a lot more youth, a lot of energy, a lot of that new business vibe. We’re obviously seeing a lot more diversity in the population base when you walk down the streets. It’s not just in somebody’s race or their religion, but it’s in what they might be wearing — a hijab or traditional central African tribal wear. Depending on what part of the city you are in, hearing the languages spoken, seeing the different cultures, seeing the different coffee shop or tea shop, or the great ethnic restaurants that are starting to open — it’s that kind of change. We’re starting to become more of a mixing pot, where we have always been so much of a homogeneous, white community.
