The town will host a public forum next month to hear the community’s feedback on the role the police department played in the arrests of scores of pro-Palestinian demonstrators on the Dartmouth College Green on May 1.

The listening session is scheduled from 7 to 9 p.m. on Aug. 20 at Howe Library. Selectboard members said they would schedule the forum after residents voiced concerns at Town Meeting on May 8 about the department’s actions on the night of the demonstration.

Hanover police, assisted by a state special operations unit and other Upper Valley law enforcement agencies, arrested 89 people, including dozens of Dartmouth students, in response to the college’s complaints of trespassing after protesters erected tents.

Critics have characterized the arrests as a heavy-handed response to a peaceful protest and questioned whether police should have gone along with the college’s request to have the protesters hauled away.

Others have praised the police for bringing a quick conclusion to the type of protest that had spun out of control on other campuses around the country this spring.

“This is an opportunity for the Selectboard to hear from various parties in the community and to get their feedback,” Selectboard Chairman Carey Callaghan said in a phone interview on Monday.

Forum participants will be divided into five discussion groups, with each group moderated by a Selectboard member, Callaghan said. Afterward, an overview of each group’s conversation will be shared with the larger group.

Hanover initially sought a professional organization, such as NH Listens, to facilitate the forum, but they were not available, Callaghan said. Rather than delay the session longer, the board opted to simplify its plan.

At the start of the forum, Hanover Police Chief Charlie Dennis will present information about the department’s protocol and operating procedure in the context of the May 1 demonstration, Callaghan said. Dennis is not scheduled to answer questions directly from attendees.

The forum will not have an option for remote participation, which would be difficult to implement due to the multiple-group discussion format, Callaghan said. However, the forum will be open to all.

The forum’s date may make participation difficult for many Dartmouth students, as fall semester classes do not start until Sept. 16.

“We would have loved to have had this session sooner (than mid-August),” Callaghan said. “We know that August 20 may not be ideal (for everyone), but we wanted to get the forum in.”

Dartmouth’s last day of summer session classes is Aug. 21. Callaghan said the board wanted to schedule the forum before the start of exams.

Nearly all 89 individuals arrested in Hanover on May 1 were initially charged with criminal trespass.

Last month, Hanover Police prosecutor Mariana Pastore decided against filing any charges against 28 of the people arrested.

Additionally, she downgraded the charge against 35 of the people arrested on May 1 from a misdemeanor to a violation. A violation does not carry the threat of jail time nor result in a criminal record, though fines and court fees may be imposed.

Pastore has until later this month to decide what to with the remaining cases before the final arrestees are arraigned on Aug. 5.

Patrick Adrian can be reached padrian@vnews.com or 603-727-3216.