Denver city leaders update safety action plan to include more police officers, focus on mental health
Denver leaders shared an update on the city's safety action plan Tuesday. City officials said there is movement in the right direction, but much work left to do.
Among the improvements, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock said auto thefts have decreased 27% year-to-date and property crimes have dropped 35% in the Central Business District.
"Some categories of crime have decreased, and we remain focused on making sure these downward trends continue moving in the right direction," the mayor said. "This includes hiring more officers and expanding our behavioral health outreach. We're also addressing challenges as they arise with our downtown partners."
Alongside the mayor, Denver District Attorney Beth McCann shared one of her main concerns is juvenile crime, especially youth crimes involving guns. She also said there is an "alarming trend" of fentanyl use and misuse in the city.
"The cases that we have filed in my office involving fentanyl have doubled every year since 2018," she said. "We will continue to prosecute aggressively dealers and distributors while supporting treatment courts and harm reduction efforts for those who are addicted."
McCann also said she is taking part in more public education by visiting schools to share the dangers of fentanyl and how to recognize the drug.
Gun violence remains a significant challenge for the city. Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas said 600 illegal guns have been removed from city streets already this year. He explained the police department continues to focus on public trust, reducing crime and improving response times.
The department is also seeing a boost in recruits, with more than 30 recently graduating from the academy. And, for the first time in years, DPD will have a full academy of recruits this spring – with some 50 people hoping to join the force.
Yet public safety issues cannot be resolved with law enforcement alone, Hancock said. City officials said they are taking a public health approach to public safety, like improving access to mental health services.
"We know many people are suffering with mental health and substance abuse issues and they don't belong in the criminal justice system," Hancock said. "They need services and treatment."
Department of Safety Executive Director Armando Saldate announced that the new Assessment, Intake and Diversion (AID) Center has served over 275 individuals to date and that the Denver Mobile Health Clinic will begin offering services at the AID Center every three weeks. The department has also hired a service navigator to support the growing participant population at the AID Center.
The city is also expanding its STAR program – Support Team Assisted Response – which first launched with five mobile units in June 2020.
"Since then, our STAR vans have responded to over 8,000 calls that would've otherwise been responded to by police," explained Bob McDonald, Executive Director of Denver's Department of Public Health and Environment. "We need to be more proactive than just responding to help a person in crisis. The department will also be expanding its Wellness Winnie, a proactive response using clinicians and peers to go out into the community where resources are more difficult to access."
While some progress has been made, Hancock said it's just the beginning.
"By no means, and I want to make this very clear, are we satisfied," he said. "We still have a lot of work to do and a long way to go."
And that goes for school safety, too, he added. The mayor echoed many Denver Public Schools parents' approval of the return of school resource officers to DPS high schools this year and hopes that continues into next school year.
The Department of Public Safety's Youth Leadership Team is holding its annual Safe City Youth Summit next month. It's an opportunity for teens to discuss their safety and well-being concerns with local leaders. More information on the summit happing on Friday, May 12, and how to register, can be found at www.dpsylt.com.