Top Denver Safety Officials Tell Council Members Change Is Necessary
DENVER (CBS4) - For weeks, protesters have gathered on the steps of the Colorado State Capitol. At times thousands of people demanded justice for George Floyd and called for systematic change and some supportive of a move to "defund the police."
They are changes that several city council members voiced their support for in some variation or another. On Wednesday, the city's top safety officials were called on to address those concerns with the safety committee.
Denver's Director of Safety Murphy Robinson told city leaders he has already hosted a series of listening events and will respond to community calls for change.
"I believe we must shut our mouths and open our ears, ready to hear the community and how they want the criminal justice system to look in this country," he said.
Robinson pledged to make Denver a leader in criminal justice transformation, starting with a new division in his office.
"This new division is going to be called the Criminal Justice Transformation and Policy Arm," Robinson said. "(It) will be charged with the implementation and strategic plan drafting of the polices the community has demanded."
Calls for reform and cuts to police funding are directly related to growing concerns about the use of excessive force by the police department.
Chief Paul Pazen was asked to share his response to the community protests and demands for action on Wednesday morning as well. He spent a majority of the time providing an overview of the department's use of force policy, but says he too is committed to reevaluating their procedures and policies going forward.
"Again we have a long way to go, but I wanted to show we are leaning forward and not being resistant to change, but supportive of change because it's necessary," Pazen said.
Robinson says they will develop a strategic plan for transformation that will stem from a demands meeting he plans to hold with local stakeholders and community members. They will have their chance to lay out what it is they want to see done differently and how best to reimagine the city's current system.
