The Task Force on Student-Police Relations held its first open forum Tuesday night. But something important was lacking: The voices of regular students.

A crowd of more than 70 people kept the forum running for several hours, but most of the people who expressed concerns about MSU police had formal titles that usually included ASMSU, MSU’s undergraduate student government.

It’s nice to see our student leaders taking the initiative to have their voices heard, but the task force was created to gather information from the student body - not an elite group of people that already has access to campus administrators.

But the task force and the very student government leaders who spoke Tuesday night failed in their most important task. They failed to attract the people who actually have day-to-day conflicts with police.

The task force, led by MSU President M. Peter McPherson, was created after concerns arose about the undercover investigation of United Students Against Sweatshops, now known as Students for Economic Justice, more than a year ago.

With tension between student and police arising from that situation, as well as the more traditional conflicts that have plagued campus for years, one would have expected the Union Ballroom overflowing with people to voice their opinions.

Police and university officials were there. Student government leaders were there. But regular students either didn’t know about the event, or didn’t care enough about the issue to come.

We hope it was the former reason that kept students away, despite publicity in the newspapers and fliers posted throughout campus.

Fortunately, students can also voice their opinions on the task force’s Web site, www.taskforce.msu.edu, as well as at future public forums. The next task force meeting will be held from 3-5 p.m. Monday in the board room on the fourth floor of the Administration Building.

MSU police were willing to meet students halfway Tuesday night. Now it’s students’ turn to return the courtesy.